In an alternate universe where every little black boy does not resemble Trayvon martin
I am not afraid for my nephew
 

I am not afraid that he will be slain and soon will only be remembered by a street name I let him go outside and play without worrying about him being gunned down because his skin resembles a picture colored in too darkly

I am not worried about my brother

I do not have to make sure he takes off his hoodie before he goes out at night because he will not be shot by a racist white cop and if he is the cop will not be let off not guilty
In an alternate universe where Mike Brown is alive
The world does not see little black boys as threats
They do not see them with a gun they see them with a smile
They do not follow them around the store they lift them up to the mountaintops
Black boys are allowed to cry, laugh and be loud without worrying about being categorized
My father does not have to teach my brother what to do if he is stopped by a cop
In an alternate universe where the world is not racist
We have black presidents, doctors and lawyers.
It is no surprise to us when People Of Color movies get nominated for the oscars
In an alternate universe where I did not write this poem
Teachers do not butcher my name and try to give me a nickname to make it easier for them
They realize that if they learned how to say Michelangelo and Beethoven they can learn to say Zaria
They do not confuse me with the only other black kid in my class
I do not have to go to the streets to advocate for my life
I am not afraid that I will become another statistic shot dead by a cop
I aspire to be the president without worrying about not being qualified because of my skin color
I can be loud without being labeled ghetto
And I can be quiet without being labeled white
I would not have to plea for the importance of my life in a poem
In an alternate universe there is no privilege, hate, or  dead little black boys.
 

I let my nephew go outside

I let my brother wear his hoodie

And I run for President