My youngest sister is a 10-year-old girl… Not just a 10-year-old girl,

But a 10 year old black girl. Not just a 10-year-old black girl,

But a 10-year-old black girl who is hip to the shit that’s holding us back in this ass backwards world.

Questioning the status of her blackness in the land of the free ‘Cus she saw someone else’s brother,

Somebody’s friend, Somebody’s father

Forced to his knees and murdered while he was exercising his civil liberties.

I hope that y’all are hearing me.

I really hope that y’all hearing me… She didn’t have to write that,

And so I had to write and recite this to let you know that our children are still watching… My sisters are still watching,

Growing up in a world that continues to bury black history, but the hate for our people is yet to be forgotten.

Six bullets left the chamber of a block hitting a young boy in his back,

And the shooter gets off hiding behind a lawyer-constructed wall of self-defense– Neighbor, I take offense because I don’t give a damn if Mr. Garner was selling loose cigarettes or Mike stole some $1 ‘rellos,

Each of these deaths are one too many.

Somewhere between the lines of our Constitution I was told that I was equal to the next man,

And so as a free man

In this land,

I expect the same due process practiced over there

To be the same due process practiced over here.

I should not walk around in fear of those who took oath to protect me.

She should not look in fear toward those who took oath to protect her.

We should not fear those who took oath to protect us…

Nobody should ever have to beg an officer of the law to respect their body…

And so Mr. Officer,