I recently attended an event
organized by Mr. Ewuare Osayande and Dr. Joyce, the first female African
American chair of Temple University’s English Department, on Temple’s campus
called ‘Poems for Trayvon Martin’. Upon speaking with both Osayande and Dr.
Joyce, both praised the other for the event and Dr. Joyce went as far as to say
she would have, “assisted [Ewuare] where he asked to hold an event”. She says she “would like to see more Temple
University students exposed to Black intellectuals whose aesthetics [are] a
merger of history, politics… as well as [a] realistic use of language”.
The event was held in honor of both
Trayvon Martin and Marissa Alexander, two Floridians on seemingly opposite
sides of the ‘Stand your Ground’ Law. In short, the law states, if a person
fears death or bodily harm said person may react with deadly force against the
aggressor. Martin, as many may know, was gunned down in February of 2012 and
his killer, George Zimmerman, has invoked the now infamous law in his defense. In
2010, Marissa Alexander fired a warning shot into the ceiling of her home after
enduring years of abuse from her husband. Alexander is facing a mandatory 20
years in prison and her use of the Stand your Ground defense was rejected. The
event was held to promote an anthology compiled by Osayande featuring compositions
from poets across the globe speaking on topics ranging from gun violence, to
police brutality to marriage equality, and everything in between. All proceeds
from the book sales will go to the families of both Martin and Alexander.
As a poet raised on “performance”
poetry and avid open mic attendee I realize I expect to see huge and grand performances
at every open mic or poetry event I attend. I can say this was not the kind of
poetry I saw that night and I was pleasantly surprised at the content and
delivery of the pieces. The messages were delivered in a calm and matter of
fact tone, but it was that calm that made the underlying truths all the more
potent. Some well known and nationally recognized poets were in the building
and a few “attended” virtually calling in via Skype. Some notable folks in
attendance included teacher/educator Shahn L. Franko, educator Elizabeth Bass,
local community organizer, Yolanda Wisher, nationally recognized poet, Lamont
B. Steptoe, and Rutgers-Camden alum, Amir Taron.
The content of the pieces ranged
from intergalactic travels, to teaching one how to be a victim that will
actually receive justice: “if killed/you
had better been perfect”. The piece by San Francisco State University
student, Malaka Green(e) implores future victims to wear a suit before being
killed, to not wear braids, own a hoodie, and if you’re going to be raped or
abused it had better be the first time, and
you better be docile, white, fully covered, a virgin, rich, light skinned
and/or thin, and if not “you deserved it”.
While clearly written to be tongue in cheek Greene’s piece, as were all the
others, was one of many sad truths of a marginalized existence.
Educator Elizabeth Bass’ and community
organizer, Yolanda Wisher, had different takes on the issue, but both were very
much relevant. While Wisher’s poem, “For Harriet (Tubman)” a six part piece chronicling
the life of the famous escaped slave, gave us a history lesson and revealed
some lesser known information about Ms. Araminta Ross. A teacher in the Camden
area, Elizabeth Bass’ poem brought the struggle closer to home. Her piece
entitled, “Concerning Michael Vanderhurst” told from her teacher’s perspective of
a young man who never made it to the first day of class as he was killed just before
the school year began. She touched hearts with lines like, “[I wonder if you
could] switch codes from street to straight without losing your voice” and
wonders aloud at the possibilities of a boy whom she never had the chance to
meet and who’s potential will never fully be realized.
All of the poems heard that night
shed light on issues that have long since been ignored in the media and
discussed openly with no easy answers in minority communities. There was talk
of Malcolm X, four little girls, and 16th Street Baptist churches,
all things I learned of in high school. These were topics in history class that were
relevant, but not quite relatable and eventually became “just stories” to me because
I did not live them. It occurred to me that all too soon our future generations
will be reading the stories of Trayvon Martin and Marissa Alexander and they may
be just as unable to relate. We can only hope, with events such as this, our
children will be more aware and this time around the ‘stories’ will have better
endings.
Or perhaps Lamont B. Steptoe said
it best with his piece ‘Hatred’:
Hatred/throws
bleach balloons at Black and Asian students in the state of the Alamo/ It is
2012/Nothing has changed.
*The anthology, Stand
Our Ground: Poems for Trayvon Martin and Marissa Alexander, can be
purchased at standourgroundbook.com and is the only place the book can be
located to ensure that ALL proceeds go to the Martin and Alexander families.
Please show your support
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About The Writer
Cierra Farquharson is an aspiring therapist and graduate student at La Salle University majoring in Clinical Counseling Psychology. She interns at a behavioral health clinic by day and is an all around creative person by night. Cierra dabbles in painting, crafting, fashion, upcycling clothes, and any other DIY project you can think of while writing and performing poetry on the weekends. Can you say twenty first century Wonder Woman?
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Between The Sheets Is a Voice Of Philadelphia and AC Beat Page Discussing Books, Book Signings, and Author Interviews.
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