Woke is a New Slur
Woke is New Slur
“I guess, woke is nothing but a new slur against people like me, right? Let me tell you, friend. Like Ariel, I want black people to be where they will be accepted. I want us to be part of the world. A world that accepts our blackness. A world where we could walk free without police brutality getting our way. A world where we could wear our natural hair, loud and proud. Locs, braids, afros, adding beads and colors? You name it. I want to be where happiness, love, peace, and hope reigns in our black lives. We’re not political objects. We’re just humans. Humans with a black skin that will never come off. We just want to be happy. Have a good family, celebrate our culture, and have more equal opportunities. Is that too much to ask? I’m asking you, friend. Is that too much to ask? Like Ariel, she’s willing to give up her voice to go to that world where she dreams of. Ask the civil rights leaders, who gave up their bodies to the society of anti-blackness, to get beaten, arrested, and risk their houses on fire, just to get their community to be part of the world they dreamed of. Let me tell you, friend. Am I too woke for you? Am I too pitiful for you? If that’s the case, then call me Ursula. Yeah, call me Ursula. Because I’m calling you a poor unfortunate soul. So unfortunate that you can’t even see your ignorance. So, unfortunate that you’re too blind with your bigotry. You have a choice, my dear. Go ahead and make a choice. A choice to hate? Or a choice to love? You know what I want? I want to kiss the land. A land of freedom. A land of peace and the land of hope. You can come with me to get there but here’s a new deal. You get rid of the negative energy of the word, woke. Woke is for positive energy, agree? Woke is not a slur. Woke is awareness of my blackness. Woke is for the black voicelesses, sick of being beaten and now ready to stand for…What’s that word, again? Oh, liberty and justice. Once you get rid of that stinky aura, then, you can come with me. I don’t know when and I don’t know how. But, I know that someday. Just watch and see. That someday, my people and I will be part of that world. Now, are you with me? Let’s ease on down the road.”
Copyright ©
Vivian Egwuonwu
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