#LiftEveryVoiceChallenge & Womanish Breaths
Hey everyone! This week I am not going to go too deep with my writing and analysis, but I will instead use this blogosphere space to enlighten everyone about two very important projects.
I want to first draw everyone’s attention to a challenge that I started on twitter… I wanted to start the #LiftEveryVoiceChallenge to get people to do their renditions of the BLACK National Anthem… To get this very important song circulating in popularity amongst our people again. Folks make challenges for all sorts of things nowadays, why not this?
In the wake of Colin Kapepernick taking a right and bold stance to not stand for the Amerikkkan Anthem (star spangled banner)—An anthem that mocks BLACK People’s enslavement, and upholds the tyranny that started and continues to keep Amerikkka going… This anthem of this country in which we live; a place where BLACK People are not treated as human, the indigenous are displaced and perpetually robbed, and the other NBPOC(Non-BLACK People of Color) have their struggles as well… BLACK People who built this country, and whose blood still flows through the streets; we are highly oppressed… We’re at the very bottom of the privilege hierarchy…No NBPOC would ever trade us fates/places… Many even in their struggles, try to distance themselves as far away from BLACKNESS as possible…The State sanctioned Police terror on our communities, environmental racism, micro-aggressions… Fight Fight Fight… BLACK People have never had to not fight for freedom, since our Ancestors were savagely brought here, and made into slaves…
But guess what? We have an anthem…Yes, BLACK PEOPLE have an anthem! It isn’t a new concept that self-determination is something very important in keeping our spirits alive, when facing such oppression and perpetual bitterness. Singing doesn’t solve the issues we face, but it is a healing balm that we as a people have always deferred to…It has given us strength, infused us with love, and inspired us to action many times throughout our history in the Amerikkka’s and in Africa, our homeland. “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” is a song written in poem form by:
“James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) in 1899 and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson (1873–1954) in 1900. It is one of the authorized hymns in the Episcopal hymnal.”
What I would like us to accomplish with this challenge is:
- Introduce the BLACK National Anthem to all those (especially younger BLACK People) who don’t know this anthem belongs to us, and speaks of who we are and hope to be as a people.
- To instill pride, self-determination, revolutionary love in BLACK People
- To give our people (BLACK People) an alternative to the star spangled banner, a song that mocks our struggle and doesn't represent us because we are not treated human.
- To educate & send out a collective BLACK Liberation Vibe—A unification through song—Let the universe know we remember who we are, and will strive to better that knowing.
- To stand in solidarity with Kaeprnick & every other NFL player that will join their boycott, hoping it will encourage them to utilize more of the power they have as players in a big money & highly influential Amerikkkan sport
This video will explain more and also contains my contribution to the challenge (Yes, I sing in it!)
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| ***CLICK HERE*** |
The second important project I want to inform you all about, is my 3rd literary work (micropoetry) that was just released on 8/25 :
Womanish Breaths.This micropoetry offering has 200 breaths( micropoems) that explores womanism from my experience… Every aspect of life is covered… A very powerful wind of truth that I am pleased to be able to exhale and share with you all… Ever wonder what womanism is? Well in my first blog Unapologetically Womanish , I explore the ins & outs of womanism… This book is just the poetic version of that ideal; written to render you knowing, and to also allow the womanist spirit to be tangibly and indelibly inscribed on your being.
I hope that you will consider sharing both the #LiftEveryVoiceChallenge & also my newest poetic offering… Womanish Breaths
As always you can respond directly to this blog or tweet me: Empress_Orit
In Unashamed Négritude & Revolutionary Love,
ORIT
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