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I see all the people who could have been
Who would have been
Who should have been
And those who will never be
I see what remains of a once great nation
The people whose culture has become extinct
A part of the past
A thing for historians to study
A great people who are degraded
Humiliated
Scorned, yet they are true to their heritage
They are fighters and believers
They believe in that shooting star
In that one miracle
In that one opportunity
I don’t want to be a could have
A would have
A should have been
I want others to know about my culture
About my people
About our struggles
I want people to know about the injustice
The hate
The Discrimination
And the poverty that kills people
I want t be part of that change
Part of that new world where my job isn’t just in the kitchen
Where I don’t have to be defined by my gender
By the color of my skin
By the color of my eyes
Where my race is no longer an issue
I want to help heal the scars of broken spirits
I want to be an example of what can be
Of the challenges people can face and overcome
Of a lost soul who has found their way back
I want change
I want more college degrees and less jail sentencings
I want less tears of sorrow and more tears of joy
I want people to have more options for a way out than just gangs
I want change |
= Grand Prize winner for this category