I Find

This morning, reading online,

I find

Inspiring speeches

intelligence

wisdom

and soaring rhetoric

coming not from some well-known politician

or member of the cultural elite

but from the mother and sister of a man

shot

in the back

by police officers.

More and more now,

this is what I find:

That we lead ourselves

are not led,

are sovereign

able

aligned.

"America, your reality is not real. We will not pretend. We will not be your docile slave. We will not be a footstool to oppression... You must fight, but not with violence and chaos - with self-love... Black men, stand up. Stand up, Black men, and educate yourselves." Letetra Widman, sister of Jacob Blake

"As I have prayed for my son's healing, physically, emotionally and spiritually, I also have been praying, even before this, for the healing of our country... We are the United States. Have we been united? Do you understand what's going to happen when we fall? Because a house that is against each other cannot stand. To all of the police officers, I'm praying for you and your families. To all of the citizens, my Black and brown sisters and brothers, I'm praying for you. I believe that you are an intelligent being just like the rest of us. Everybody, let's use our hearts, our love, and our intelligence to work together to show the rest of the world how humans are supposed to treat each other. America is great when we behave greatly." Julia Jackson, mother of Jacob Blake