We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America

As a black woman in America I wanted to write something that reflected how I feel about the inequality that we endure due to our double barrier: gender and race.

84
We Will Rise: A Spoken Word About Inequality For Black Women in America
Pinterest.com

Pain and suffering,

Trial and tribulation,

Heart breaking sensation...

Do you know?

Do you know what it's like to be black in America?

Do you know what it's like being a black woman in America?

Fighting two barriers of inequality every single day...

Race and gender.

Trying our hardest to rise above our oppressors

We stand tall and stand proud,
Demanding our equal rights in the crowd

We are conflicted...

Conflicted with the image that society has painted for us…

Are we supposed to be loud and angry or submissive and dainty?

Am I supposed to be your mammy or am I supposed to stand up to your tyranny?

No matter what we try, we are seen as too hard or too soft…

Where does my mysterious happy medium exist?

Tell me why I am being put in a box just for you to suppress my superiority?

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired,

You need to see that I am not skin and I am not my gender,

I'm not saying I'm a pretender and I'm definitely not suggesting color blindness...

I'm simply saying that black women are humans with feelings,

and we are fed up with dealing with this cruel and wicked world…

Don't belittle me or swaddle me because you're scared of my potential!

Damn it, let me be great because in the words of Andra Day, I will rise up, rise like the day...

I will find a place on this earth where I will be celebrated and elevated, appreciated and educated, and my black girl magic can radiate,

So when I come out on top there'll be no debate, when my melanated self says checkmate...

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

10 Facts All People In A Large Family Can Confirm During The Holiday Season

The holiday season can be the best and most stressful time of the year, especially when more people are involved.

61
kids jumping

The holidays are full of lights, sweets, sweaters, and your favorite movies. There's nothing quite like this period from the beginning of December through January. Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years. The fun of it all.

I don't know about you but with my large Italian family something is always going on during this season. It can be the most wonderful time of the year while also being the most hectic. These are a few things you know if your family is anything like mine during this time.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

3562
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

2168
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201495
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments