Day in and day out 

 

By Jamyva  Lagout 

 

Day In and Day Out

A place where I need not fear

because of who I am

Because of the color of my skin.

Because of the black, I wear on my sleeve. Day in and day out.

My home is a place.

A place where I need not fear for my life as much.

Where I can be myself as a black child

Day in and day out 

Though we live in a world, a country, where black brother and sisters do Where they live in fear. They worry.

Day in and day out.

Telling us to hate ourselves 

Hating our culture 

Then turn around and steal it 

Because of the black, they wear on their sleeve

Because of the beautiful melanin, they carry.

It “scares” these people.

Oh so much.

Day in and day out 

The police. The citizens. The government.

Fear to be home. Atatianna Jefferson, 28. Fear to sleep. Breonna Taylor, 26.

Fear to stand. Stephon Clark, 22.

Fear to drive. Daunte Wright, 20.

Fear to jog. Ahmuad Arbery, 25.

Fear to wear a hoodie. Trayvon Martin, 17.

Fear to have mental health issues. Daniel Prude, 41. Fear to use cash. George Floyd, 46.

Say their names.

We live in fear.

Not only for ourselves but for all the other people in our community. We live in fear.

For things, white people - other people - do every day.

Day in and day out.

We are not bounded by our blood, but by the color of our skin. By the beautiful melanin, we carry.

And if no one will protect it. We will.

 

 Freedom doesn’t mean equality Just as

Progress does not equal justice.

We are in the fight for our lives.

Do not let the work of over a century go in vain.

“Today they have taken off the white sheet and put on police uniforms and traded in the bloodhounds for police dogs, and they’re still doing the same thing.”

Malcolm X

Check the government.

Check the racist people in this country. Day in and day out.

Jamyva Lagout