They Discriminate

I’ll never forget that day

My teacher said everything she has to say

She hurt me so bad because I was from the bay

I was just in 7th Grade

She made me feel so afraid.

She yelled at us.

She said we were worthless

because we didn't have nice desks or nice books

I remember that day

as me and my friend talked about our future

I said I i'd always wanted to be a detective and study

criminology

suddenly she walked into our conversation

she said I should stop dreaming

she said college wasn't for me

“I mean just look at yourself,

where you're from is just a joke

they'll never get there”

Her words marked me for life

She actually made me believe I was worthless

that I would never get anywhere

The place where i was support to feel safe

the place where my mom sent me everyday to learn more

had just made me feel like i was nothing

had just shut all my hopes and dreams down

She made me go from being the student

all teachers talked about

for being one of the best

to not caring at all just like the rest.

***

But what a minute! STOP!

Now i figured it out!

See, by doing that would I be giving them what they want ?

wouldn't I be feeding their hunger of seeing me fail?

***

These sick cycles keep spinning and have come to me

trying to break the cycles I step up to say,

“yes im brown and im proud”

Most people look at me and right away they discriminate

they look at my color, where i was born, where i live

and right away they discriminate.

they say i wont make it

they discriminate

I am not afraid to say im from here

I am not afraid to show my skin

they put me down and don't expect much from me

they're always thinking i'm not going make anything with myself anyways

they discriminate

I create. I educate

because one day ill prove them wrong

They'll realize what they did was so wrong.

ill show that strong