Write That I
My name is Justice Serenity English
When you - one day - tell my story
Write that I was born to do more than survive - but to thrive
That my roots originated in Africa, branched into America
And sprouted up in the nutty north
From gritty soil steeped in poverty and struggle
Write that I experienced racism that cut deeply into my soul and self-esteem
That I’ve been a victim of racial profiling
And a witness to gun violence, Domestic Violence and bullying
Write that I’ve been homeless, penniless and desperately hopeless
That - even as a teenager - I knew what it felt like
to work from the early morning to late into the night
Running on fumes of energy
So I could help feed my brothers and sisters
Tell them that I went to Roosevelt High School
Even after I was pushed out of my own neighborhood
I still traveled for hours each day on the bus and the max
To arrive at a place where I would learn my own value
From teachers who saw things in me when I didn’t even see them in myself
Teachers who loved me, who cared about me
Teachers who encouraged me to use my voice for positive change
And tap into my passion for social justice to become an activist
When you talk about my grooming at Roosevelt
Tell them - No!
There is not just one dominant race
Not just one Gender or sexuality or one perfect person
But a diversity of mixed breeds
Showing you an example of how society should be
And that UNITY is possible
UNITY is powerful
UNITY is essential
Tell them that instead of just letting go
I invested my time in a place that taught me knowledge
And the belief in myself to achieve more than what others thought I could
- and go further than the circumstances where I came from said I would ever reach
Say that I had the self-confidence to correct my interrupted story
That I breathed in the fumes of possibility and I now represent black excellence
Say that because others have helped me
I saw an advantage to reaching back and helping others coming behind me
To find their path to being successful – in spite of what naysayers might think
Write that even though I was young in years
I recognized that there are more prisons than there are schools
More drug addicts than there are criminals
More high-rise apartments than there are homeless people
And higher rates of sex trafficking than there are teen moms
Say that I saw hope beyond the hysteria
And saviors living amongst those who are suffering
When you write my story
Say that I am talkative but wise
That I am a leader AND a social justice activist
Tell them that I don’t give upy - that I am resilient
I have found my voice, and I am not afraid to make it heard
Say that I am not in prison because I have received opportunities
I pursued my purpose - by choice – despite
circumstances that would tell you otherwise
Like the greatest - Muhammad Ali - said:
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
At Roosevelt, I learned how to eat impossible for breakfast
To dare to dream, to imagine my potential
And today, I am the one who wears the crown
And has been chosen to own the Queen's throne
So, yes, tell my story. Write my truths.
And more importantly, learn my name.
I am “Justice” - the law, righteousness, integrity
Middle name “Serenity”- a mind at peace, stillness, calm
Last name English – one of the most spoken languages in the world
See me. Notice me.
Realize
That I. Have. Arrived.