I created this mini series to not only stretch myself as a writer, but to address the current state of our world from a perspective of activism. Each piece highlights a social issue that is currently taking place, and has been for some time now. As someone who is used to writing and performing longer pieces, I often have trouble keeping things short and sweet. However, creating these poems wasn’t too difficult. When it comes to the topic of human rights, there shouldn’t be very much to say as these issues are not debatable. As we reflect on the past and work to dismantle the oppressive systems of the present, it’s important to imagine what things must look like in order to move towards building the future. Feel free to leave a like and any feedback below.
This mini series is comprised of 8 poems on the following social issues:
racism
capitalism
the prison industrial complex
patriarchy
homophobia & heteronormativity
immigration
the education system
white privilege
not necessarily in that order.
“the future is female”. but not only that, the future is also male. the thing is, the future can be both; I think that’s what the past failed to realize. but if we deny the fact that our present is plagued with patriarchy, we’re cushioning our own egos with lies. to craft the “ideal” future, we must begin with the value and respect for both women, men, and non-binary peoples lives. a system rooted in equity, obtained without prise. a world where patriarchy is no longer a sign of the times.
- patriarchy
the difference in our perceptions of the future lies within my oppression. as if my existence has always defied some societal rule. your ancestors saw flying cars while mine prayed I would be able to go to school. alongside you. they had a dream so that all of mine could come true. a dream of a world where my melanin was not my cause of death. they stayed seated so I could stand to fight this fight, AGAIN. I still have hope for that world, even though my patience runs thin; because even hate has to be honest with itself that in the end, love will win.
- racism
colonialism has convinced the oppressor that centuries of genocide makes something their own. as if their ancestors came with a visa, or were the first to called this land “home”. as history repeats itself, colonization is nothing “old”; and it doesn’t surprise me that with a name like “I.C.E”, they would inevitably be so cold. I hope for a future where the land we inhabit is not simply “acknowledged” by those who benefit from generations of hurt; but available to the ones who inhabited it first.
-“immigration”
our society is a dinner table. where the wealthy get first dibs to the feast and the poor have been tossed scraps indefinitely. they say that "when the people shall have nothing more to eat, they'll eat the rich", and the people have been starving for centuries. we must acknowledge some hard to swallow pills. one should never have to choose between health, and the bills. rent, or dinner. nobody should be forced to save their last in case of rain. they profit off of our pain. hoard wealth when they could create change. but one day rain has to fall. and in a world where money is power, the reality is, this power hungry system will eventually hit us all.
- capitalism
what kind of world do we live in? where guilty men can walk freely and live without a sentence? where I can make the 6 o’clock news due to a cops hand, yet you have the “right to an attorney” without demand? it’s no coincidence that murder is justified when the finger pulling the trigger is white. no coincidence that you “made a mistake” but I “committed a crime”. no, you did not choose this life, nor did I choose mine. but your privilege can either amplify voices or silence cries, and you have the power to make that choice, every. single. time.
- white privilege
this so-called "justice" system is extremely subjective. it's a problem that the "Brock Turner's" of the world get a slap on the wrist while Cyntoia Brown continues to serve a 15 year sentence. it's clear that the system just wants to keep my people in captivity. they spoon-fed an illusion of freedom but we truly never became free. it's all twisted, evil, corrupt, deranged. and as long as my people are serving time for a few grams while the cannabis industry becomes the new wave, truly nothing has changed.
~ prison industrial complex
heteronormativity has created a society full of doubts. where young boys and girls are romanticized, but our friends “in the closet” must notify the world when they are “out”. your truth is not something that you should have to announce. but in a world full of hate it’s become normalized to be against who others love. to be LGBTQ+ in a heteronormative world is to be making a “statement”. we must amplify queer voices and make space for their truths. because the reality is, our people need our protection, whether or not you “approve”.
- homophobia & heteronormativity
our schools have been corrupt since the beginning of time. from penalizing young girls for bra straps, to the fact that these “history” books do not feature mine. academic streaming sets some students up for success and others for crime. Black students are given no chances through the school-to-prison pipeline. teachers are getting away with racism and keeping their jobs, and they sweep things under the rug when it comes to sexual assault in their own halls. equitable learning and fair treatment is the goal for us all. the institutions teaching the future generation are almost as chaotic as the world we live in. and to think, all I ever wanted was an education.
- the education system
Keep fighting for what is right. Even when what is right is considered "radical".
Written by Kimberly Douglas©
Comments