we are

america the brave

 

do you see us?

 

we are here

feet pressed firmly into american soil

and we will not back down

these are my sisters and my brothers 

the new faces of the resistance

 

do you see my sister?

 

she smiles

courage beaming from her

warm brown skin

the skin she is made of

the skin she is proud of

even though others tell her to hide that pride far, far away

 

do you see my brother?

 

his hand trembles as it slips into the hand

of his boyfriend

he dares to love brighter than the hate

even when people shout

      "faggot"

      "queer"

      "sissy"

 

do you see my sister?

 

she looks firmly ahead

hijab cascading across her shoulders

even as stares pierce her skin

as invisible hands try to rip the hijab from her hair

 

do you see my brother?

 

he rises

facing the day with his strong brow furrowed

his hands rough and calloused from tearing tomatoes from their vines

as he remembers

the flashlights cutting through the night

dogs snarling 

having to run 

                   run 

                        run to a new life

 

do you see my sibling?

 

they break the barriers

society puts on gender

flaunting androgyny 

even as the world refuses to say their name

crumbling their pride with two simple words

she

      him

 

do you see my sister?

 

she pushes herself

down the long hallway

propelling the wheelchair forward

as whispered questions and murmured insults float between onlookers

 

do you see my brother?

 

he pulls his hood up

still not hiding his dark skin

the dark skin that he sees pierced by the bullets of police

the dark skin that lies cold against a bloody sidewalk

 

do you see my sister?

 

her face flushes as she debates with them

slamming down facts and rebuttals

refusing to be told to quiet down, to be their definition of a proper young lady

 

now do you see us?

 

we are here

hand in hand

our tears dripping

together

our hearts pounding

together

our fists raised

together

 

we are

america the brave