My 2017 Semester at TWU I studied many speeches by women from the 1800's. For our last class, we were given the opportunity to give a presentation best fitting our style. I chose to give a speech based off of Sojourner Truth speech given in 1851.
https://youtu.be/yq3AYiRT4no
As I look around now in 2017, I cant help but to shake my head… dang, aint I a woman? Aint I still your sister. Long ago, we started this fight together and what a mighty distance we’ve come… we still aint made it though. Aint we still fightin? Together… We knew that if anything were to change, we would have to make this stand together. When I walk into a room full of white men and women, some Indian and Asian, young and old, I see a few who look like me, in color that is… yet when I smile to gather some type of acknowledgement or make a connection that I’m not the only woman of color in the room, I’m greeted with a cold nod that simply says, find your own way. Knowing that familiar gesture, I gather my bearings and get to work. Get to work knowing that once again, in this cold place, I don’t have a place to rest my head. There’s no open seat just waiting for me… So I work, diligently and hard, being sure to pay attention and gain the knowledge that I can, while I can to push that much harder to get where I need to go. Never holding grudges because I understand the way the game is played. Yet, once I make it to a place where the inner circle begins to notice me… then so do you… Only to know, I have to play another game as to who is the best to get close to in order to not offend anyone, including you. Too often is this game played. Excuse my reference but many have learned how to play the house nigger yet hands remain as dirty and dark as the field nigger. We play the part because we never want to feel the sting of rejection and lord forbid any type of isolation. We applaud our white counterparts, being sure to be chosen for the leading role in their stories, while looking at our sister next to us, daring her to step into our spotlight, possibly killing any chance you had at making it to the top… right… Or at least you thought. You thought unscrewing her lightbulb would make you shine brighter, well did you forget that two are better than one. Did you forget about the Sojourner Truths, Mary McLeod Bethunes, Meta V. W Fullers, Madame CJ Walkers, Maggie L. Walkers, Corretta Scott Kings, Cecily Tysons, Kerry Washingtons and Taraji P. Hensons… only to name a few. They didn’t get here by themselves and look at them. Neither will you. We stand on their shoulders, as they gather in the crowd of witnesses, cheering us on to carry out the batons passed they passed to us. They trust us. They know that we can continue to carry out the legacy. Let us not fail them, making their efforts look as though they labored in vein… simply due to hate or jealousy. We all have that gift in us. We all have that vision in us. We’ve all been chosen to make our impact in this world, just like our sisters before us. Yes we are women. So let’s stand together and turn this world right side up. Love is not a color, Race or gender. Love crosses all boundaries. Love wasn’t created by man, so man cannot define it. It was here before we ever were. It flows naturally. In order to give Love fully, one must become one with the love within.
Thank you for reading. My prayer is that it touched you as it touched me! Please feel free to share this post or share an inspiring word! Remember you are the only you there is, so be good to YOU!
https://youtu.be/yq3AYiRT4no
Ain't I A Woman?
As I look around now in 2017, I cant help but to shake my head… dang, aint I a woman? Aint I still your sister. Long ago, we started this fight together and what a mighty distance we’ve come… we still aint made it though. Aint we still fightin? Together… We knew that if anything were to change, we would have to make this stand together. When I walk into a room full of white men and women, some Indian and Asian, young and old, I see a few who look like me, in color that is… yet when I smile to gather some type of acknowledgement or make a connection that I’m not the only woman of color in the room, I’m greeted with a cold nod that simply says, find your own way. Knowing that familiar gesture, I gather my bearings and get to work. Get to work knowing that once again, in this cold place, I don’t have a place to rest my head. There’s no open seat just waiting for me… So I work, diligently and hard, being sure to pay attention and gain the knowledge that I can, while I can to push that much harder to get where I need to go. Never holding grudges because I understand the way the game is played. Yet, once I make it to a place where the inner circle begins to notice me… then so do you… Only to know, I have to play another game as to who is the best to get close to in order to not offend anyone, including you. Too often is this game played. Excuse my reference but many have learned how to play the house nigger yet hands remain as dirty and dark as the field nigger. We play the part because we never want to feel the sting of rejection and lord forbid any type of isolation. We applaud our white counterparts, being sure to be chosen for the leading role in their stories, while looking at our sister next to us, daring her to step into our spotlight, possibly killing any chance you had at making it to the top… right… Or at least you thought. You thought unscrewing her lightbulb would make you shine brighter, well did you forget that two are better than one. Did you forget about the Sojourner Truths, Mary McLeod Bethunes, Meta V. W Fullers, Madame CJ Walkers, Maggie L. Walkers, Corretta Scott Kings, Cecily Tysons, Kerry Washingtons and Taraji P. Hensons… only to name a few. They didn’t get here by themselves and look at them. Neither will you. We stand on their shoulders, as they gather in the crowd of witnesses, cheering us on to carry out the batons passed they passed to us. They trust us. They know that we can continue to carry out the legacy. Let us not fail them, making their efforts look as though they labored in vein… simply due to hate or jealousy. We all have that gift in us. We all have that vision in us. We’ve all been chosen to make our impact in this world, just like our sisters before us. Yes we are women. So let’s stand together and turn this world right side up. Love is not a color, Race or gender. Love crosses all boundaries. Love wasn’t created by man, so man cannot define it. It was here before we ever were. It flows naturally. In order to give Love fully, one must become one with the love within.
Thank you for reading. My prayer is that it touched you as it touched me! Please feel free to share this post or share an inspiring word! Remember you are the only you there is, so be good to YOU!
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