CREATED WITH SUNSHINE

By Amaya Burke, Grade 9

SUNLIGHT ENTERS THOUGH HER SKIN AND EXITS THOUGH HER SMILE
HER SMILE CAN LIGHT UP A ROOM AND BRING WARMTH
COCO BUTTER AND A LITTLE COCONUT OIL WILL DO
CLEAR LIP GLOSS WILL BRIGHTEN HER SMILE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE
SHE IS MADE OF SUGAR, HONEY AND GLITTER BUT HER TONGUE IS MADE OF SPICE
ENOUGH SPICES TO MAKE YOU FEEL THE HEAT BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BURN YOU
THE NATURAL HIGHLIGHT ON HER CHEEKS GLIMMER AND TWINKLE WHEN THE SUN
HITS THEM
HER HAIR COMES IN DIFFERENT SHAPES, LENGTHS AND TEXTURES
HER SOUL IS BLISSFUL MOST OF THE TIME BUT SOMETIMES IT YEARNS FOR
ACCEPTANCE
SOCIETY SHAMES HER
HER COMPLEXION IS TOO DARK
HER HAIR IS TOO WILD AND NAPPY TO TAME
HER NATURAL BODY HAS BEEN CLONED AND OBSERVED WAY TOO MANY TIMES LIKE
SHE ON DISPLAY
SHE IS USED FOR RESEARCH WITHOUT HER PERMISSION LIKE SHE IS UNHUMAN
LIKE AN ANIMAL
EVERYONE WANTS TO LOOK AND ACT LIKE HER BUT NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO BE
HER
NO ONE WANTS TO FEEL HER PAIN AND GUESS WHAT
NO ONE WOULD EVER WILL
BUT THOUGH IT ALL SHE STILL MANAGES TO SMILE
THE SAME SMILE THAT CAN LIGHT UP A ROOM AND BRING WARMTH
THE SAME SMILE THAT WAS CREATED WITH SUNSHINE

THE TALK
by Samnae Brown, Grade 6

MY DAUGHTER, MY SON.
THE DAY YOU WERE BORN I WAS TERRIFIED,
NOT OF YOU, BUT OF THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE AROUND YOU.
THOSE WHO WOULD JUDGE YOU FOR HOW YOU LOOK AND WHAT YOU ARE.
NOT AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
NOT NEGRO.
YOU ARE BLACK.
RICH IN MELANIN, YOU ARE PURE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WON’T TAKE CARE OF YOU LIKE I DO.
EVENTUALLY YOU GON’ GET A CAR AND BE ABLE TO DRIVE
“MOMMA I’M A GOOD DRIVER ALL MY INSTRUCTORS SAY SO.”
THIS AIN’T ABOUT YOU BEIN’ A “GOOD DRIVER” THSI ABOUT YOU NOT COMING HOME
ONE DAY.
“FINE MA’ WHAT SHOULD I DO THEN?”
SPEAK IN A CALM TONE SO THE OFFICER KNOWS YOU’RE NOT IN AN IRATE STATE.
WHEN THEY ASK FOR YOU LICENSE AND REGISTRATION, YOU SAY WHERE YOU’RE
GETTIN’ IT FROM.
“YOU GOIN’ OFF ON A TANGENT MA.”
NO. I’M TELLIN’ YOU HOW TO BE SAFE ‘CAUSE OF THE WAY YOU LOOK.
“THE WAY I LOOK?”
YOU’RE BLACK.
SOME WHITE OFFICER MIGHT SAY YOU HAD A WEAPON OR YOU WAS BEIN’
AGGRESSIVE.
YOU WON’T GET JUSTICE BABY, THAT’S JUST HOW IT IS.
I WISH IT WASN’T THIS WAY.
I WISH THAT EVERYONE WAS TREATED WITH HUMANITY.
BUT JUSTICE IS A LONG WAY TO COME.
I LOVE YOU, STAY SAFE………………