Will you understand?
By: Jon Davis with inspiration from Veronica Bofah, a Harding University High School student along with an incredible group of students and community leaders based in Charlotte, NC. They came together for a compelling initiative called “Difference Makers” built in collaboration by CIS Charlotte and The Gambrell Foundation.
I am asking you to understand
that sometimes the world can feel a little crammed
and we just need a little space
to stand and expand.
For the change we seek requires us to re-brand
because oppression, racism and greed
truly no longer stand.
So I am asking you today…
will you understand?
That I just want to be seen
to be heard
and to be free.
Will you try to understand
what freedom means to me?
If the world would just let me be
and see the wisdom in me
then we will have space
to shift the world
from I to we.
And dream everyday
about what might be
if we all were truly free.
We have the courage to stand as we
to not tolerate hate, exclusion or an inability to see.
Because if we all did truly see
we would reconcile, heal and repair
our brand of humanity.
With new voices, curiosity and creativity
because your humanity
is tied to my humanity
and when I see you
I am actually seeing me.
We could replace oppression with full expression
and end the epidemic of suppression and depression
with our collective expression.
So once again I ask
will you understand?
That if you truly want to stand
then I need space to expand.
But I promise when I expand
you will want to stand
and then we will finally have
our new human brand.
So I am asking you one last time
to imagine just how grand
our world will truly be
when we fully understand.