For International Women’s Day, I wrote a poem, “Who Are We Right Now,” inspired by the words of some of my favorite SHEroes in American HERstory: Shirley Chisholm{: rel=nofollow}, Gloria Steinem{: rel=nofollow}, Ida B.Wells{: rel=nofollow}, Fannie Lou Hamer{: rel=nofollow}, Coretta Scott King{: rel=nofollow}, Angela Davis{: rel=nofollow}, Alice Walker{: rel=nofollow}, Sojourner Truth{: rel=nofollow}, and Maya Angelou{: rel=nofollow}. I created a compilation of their wisdom in hopes to comfort, encourage, and guide us during this new wave of political activism. Fighting the good fight is not new, but may be new to some of us, who may feel confused and exhausted. But do not grow weary when it comes to the work of love and justice. Many superwomen have come before us and their spirit runs through us as we continue to push forward towards a fair and equal society.
Who Are We Right Now
Who are we right now?
Are we Ms. Shirley
When we walk up to the table and see no seat for us
So bring our folding chair
Are we Ms. Gloria
When we remember that
When we speak about feminism and racism and poverty and all who are oppressed
that
Our issues
are linked
And
not ranked
Are we Ms. Ida
When we
Right wrongs by
Turning the light of truth
Upon them
Are we Ms. Fannie
When we yell out
That No body is free
Until Every body
Is free
Are we Ms. Coretta
When our country calls on us to remember so deeply in our souls that
Freedom is never really won
that
We must earn it
And win it
In
Every generation
Are we Ms. Angela when we proclaim
That we are no longer
Accepting the things, we cannot change
We are instead
Changing the things
We cannot accept
Are we Ms. Alice when we remember
That the most common way we
Give up our power
Is by thinking
We don’t have any
And
Are we Ms. Alice when we remember that
Activism
is the rent we pay
For living on this planet
Are we Ms. Sojourner
When we say to the world
“Ain’t I a woman”
And
Are we Ms. Maya
When
Together
Every single day
We continue
To rise
To know the women who came before us is to know ourselves
It is to know the blood memory that runs through our veins
It is to know that the unlived dreams of our ancestors are
our honor and our duty to live out
Right now
Because as Women
Right now
When it comes to the work of the Women before us…
Maybe we are not able
To pay it back
But
We can
Certainly
Pay it forward
Watch: 62 fashion insiders speak out for women’s rights:
