I wrote and performed this poem for the BSA Western SOUL Gala on March 19, 2022. The theme of this year's SOUL was "Black Renaissance", hence the title and subject of this piece. We are currently living in a new era of blackness. A reinvention of sorts, of the black identity. As Black people continue to embrace our blackness for everything it entails, we are also learning to stand in our truth and be ourselves unapologetically. We are no longer conforming to the standards and perceptions that society has for us or allowing our existence to be validated within the white gaze. This new era is a revival, a rebirth, a renaissance, if you will; and as Black people we owe it to ourselves and our ancestors to reclaim these identities so our descendants can feel empowered to do the same. Please enjoy the poem.
our legacy is one that has been
generations in the making
for blackness is timeless
to have such an extensive history
is inevitable
when your existence has been
known to spark uprisings
but there is truly no corner of this earth
that black influence has left untouched
no limits to our faith
despite every weapon formed against us
because we are the descendants
of people who are known to get back up
for we are the originators
the cultivators
the true creators
our ancestors marched so
we could walk free
but we are no longer concerned with
the world’s perception of
this collective identity
no longer are we demanding
this world to see us
or hear us
but with the strength of our presence
there’s no doubt they will feel us
our people never needed
white approval or societal validity
but simply the freedom
to be ourselves, unapologetically
we are walking archives
breathing landmarks
living history
past, present, and future all in one
our very existence is the
preservation of rich histories
from the ones before us
as we nurture the potential
of the ones to come
to simply call us “great” would understate
the magnitude of our influence
and everything we continue to create
for blackness is exemplary
this excellence is generational
though this experience
is in no way monolithic
our versatility is what makes us so beautiful
and we can accredit this power
to the activists
who took a stand for what they believed in
found courage to speak their truth
showed the world that we
were never the problem
the artists
who created passion from pain
spun our stories into
sweet melodies
graceful choreographies
painted portraits and
poetry
the visionaries
who laid foundations
so we could build
made sacrifices to create opportunities
saw a brighter future
of freedom and possibilities
we stand on the shoulders of
risk takers
dream chasers
to be black is to have struck gold
for abundance is our birthright
thanks to the ones who planted seeds
so we could bloom
our success is inevitable in
every form we assume
it is their blood in our veins that
sustains our ability to shine
for these bloodlines have held blessings
since the beginning of time
and as long as we
have breath in our lungs
and legacies for generations to come
their essence will never die
for blackness is unshakable
brilliance lives within us
so may we never lose sight of
the excellence we’ve inherited
in this moment that is
the black renaissance
Written by Kimberly Douglas©
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