Everyone has a voice. Whether it by loud or soft, silent or verbal. We all communicate by different means and through different mediums. Here are some mediums that inspire us to find our own voices; as well as us rehearsing our favorite ways to communicate. We hope that some of these pieces may inspire you also, and help you connect to members of our community.
|
Who Said It Was Simple
BY AUDRE LORDE There are so many roots to the tree of anger that sometimes the branches shatter before they bear. Sitting in Nedicks the women rally before they march discussing the problematic girls they hire to make them free. An almost white counterman passes a waiting brother to serve them first and the ladies neither notice nor reject the slighter pleasures of their slavery. But I who am bound by my mirror as well as my bed see causes in colour as well as sex and sit here wondering which me will survive all these liberations. |
Black boy- A spin on Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl
By: Cyrenius Nelson Pull your pants up; don’t you know better, how you should look when you leave the house; don’t act a fool in school, you’re representing your house and God, not just you; pull your hood down, don’t give them a reason to stop you; when they do, say yes sir, no ma’am, you will if you know what’s good for you; go to church every Sunday, the lord will set you straight; stay away from those thugs and drugs, before you turn into that inmate I know you tryin’ so hard to become; Get a job, go to school; better man up, we ain’t weak, even with no food; we don’t have problems, we always fine; to the outside world life is perfect on the inside; don’t be out late. Watch who you walking with; yo white friends will make it home, you’ll be the next convict; keep yo head in them books, keep yo eyes off them girls; ain’t no babies gon be ‘round here, eatin’ all my food; shoot that ball, run that race; may be the best shot we got, to get on out this place; hold it together, keep that smile; life is a lawyer, and you always on trial; see that mountain, it’s probably too high; aim for that hill, its small enough to climb; what’s it gon' be, baller, rapper; or that inmate you’re destined to be; you keep laughin, just you watch; it’s all fun and games, til they be callin the cops; don’t come cryin', you better not call; you made that bed, you can handle that fall; oh you sad, that’s cute to see; you better stop that cryin’, you ain’t see what I seen; shoulders back, head up; keep them nervous, but no too much; look confident, not bold; there’s a balance you see; they need to know you’re strong, but not so strong to shake the hierarchy; see this is all a game; a chess match, see; we play their games, we push on and breathe; you’ll take more hits, than you’ll ever get to throw; but when you swing that fist, your rage will make it a knockout blow. |
|
BODIES
By: Mariah Licari A Limerick On SUNY Cortland campus many bodies are queer These bodies are real and live in a great amount of fear So many different types of sexualities misjudged for being them Transgender, asexual, pansexual, homosexuality all condemned Maybe instead of the judgement, we shouldn’t interfere… |