WE ARE LOSING

We are caught up in a game and don’t even know how to play.

But we think we do.

We think the game is about how much money we make.

….how many degrees we can achieve.

….how quick we can move away from EACH OTHER and into THEIR neighborhoods.

WE ARE LOSING

We think this game is about how acceptable we become.

We think this game is about how easily we fit in.

…..how transparent we can become when sitting in a room filled with THEM.

WE ARE LOSING

We think we’ve really done it big when we can call one or two of them friends.

….when we are served with a smile instead of a frown.

….when we are invited to the VIP parties just to get our picture in a dam magazine.

WE ARE LOSING.

People, we got the game all wrong. We are ignorant and we don’t even know it.

This game isn’t about fitting IN.

This game is about standing OUT.

This game is about knowing that you - YES YOU - are worthy enough.

You don’t have to try to be anything.

You don’t have to let anyone else’s image of perfection dictate who you shall become.

You don’t have to seek the anyone's APPROVAL.

You don’t have to accept the frowns you get when you sit down in a trendy restaurant.

If they don’t want your money or can’t offer you service with a smile - GET THE HELL UP!

Go home. 

Cook your OWN dinner. 

STOP patronizing people who EXPECT you to be inferior to them.

Stop acting like it’s okay to be judged BEFORE you open your dam mouth.

Stop associating with people who speak to you in a derogatory manner.

If it offends you, don't accept it - CORRECT IT.

You have every right to be intolerate of DISRESPECT. 

WE ARE LOSING

This game is confusing you.

This game is causing you to give up on YOUR PEOPLE.

This game has you so caught up in getting rich and moving your family to the safety of white picket fences,

that you don't see your absence is costing us the VICTORY.

....has you so snooty that you turn your nose up at a person who looks just like you because

your foolish ass is driving a car you can’t afford while they’re driving one that’s paid for.

It may NOT be as pretty, but the game has taught them that OWNERSHIP is much better than CREDIT.

How about that shit? 

You still learning, huh?

The game has you so intelligent that you can't answer a question without second guessing yourself.

Afraid that your answer isn't the POLITICALLY CORRECT one.

....your answer isn't the one that will be met with the least resistence.

Too scared to rock the boat.  You can't fight with a weak ass heart - drenched with fear.

You are actually a liability to this struggle.  Turn in your hand; you don't need to play.

You're lining up your cards to renig anyway.

It's really not that hard once you figure out which team you playing for.

You claim to be playing on OUR team but you showing the deck to the other players.

How can you possibly have our backs when you don’t even know how to make a dam book?

Problem is, you don’t know whose back to have.

CONFUSED. FRUSTRATED. TENSE.

Our thirst for the "American dream" has created such selfishness in our community that we have completely turned away from OUR BROTHERS/SISTERS.

Why are WE trying so hard to get the American dream ANYWAY? 

We didn't ask for the American dream. 

We ought to be handed the American dream on a SILVER PLATTER.

Who said we have to be the ones to chase the American dream?  Who said your dream is all that American? 

Who said your dream is my dream?  How the HELL can we all have the same dream?

WE ARE LOSING. 

We have left ourselves to fend for OURSELVES.

This is certainly not the STOCK to which we were born.

We come from generations of people who suffered and celebrated TOGETHER.

We must UNLEARN all that we’ve taught ourselves to survive.

It’s not your fault. We are forever going to adapt to exist. We’ve done it for many years.

However, now, we are CHEATING our brothers and sisters.

We are neglecting our children.

We are failing our communities.

We are doomed if we don't incorporate some teamwork into this game. 

We are destined to REPEAT our past if we don't face our future TOGETHER.

WE ARE LOSING.

Pretty soon we'll wake up one sunny day with no control over the cards.

We won't even recognize the dealer.

We'll be sitting at the table, mouths wide open, praying for some shudda, wudda, cuddas....

Realizing that ALL we've taken for granted and left to chance --

our freedom, our voice, our rights, our minds, our schools

We've given it all away because we didn't play this dam game together.

Then we'll recognized that it's too late

We've lost....and the GAME IS OVER!