a poem by Psalms White
Watching the waving of those stripes-
Red as bloodshed through bullet holes in hoodies
And crooked as the wounds on my great great grandfathers back-
Used to make my bones ache
Flooded with memories of a culture I never got to know
While forced into a country dedicated to my demise.
Yet-
As the years turn, so does the color of my nation
The browning of this land like the soil of the Earth
Has finally revealed the roots of this land
Roots of peace planted by indigenous hands
Before they were bound
And buried.
Blinding arrogance of cold-hearted conquerors
Keeping them from seeing
That the sacred nature of American soil cannot be colonized
For it is made up of the bones promises, prayers, and prophecies
Of centuries of ancestors, whose dreams are finally manifesting.
Watered by the blood and sweat of black bodies
And tended by the laborious work of generations of dreamers-
The mighty tree of truth and justice has finally grown
Stronger and taller than ever before
And connected its roots all across the world.
The repression of the sacred nature of this land
The resistance against the moral arc of the universe
The battle of power over people- Divine human beings
The fight against the God of love
Was never destined to win.
Our destiny is peace
And freedom.
We are entering a new age.
… Or rather, a new age is already here.
about the author: Psalms White, Eco-institute team
RISING EARTH CORE FACILITATOR &
MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEMBER & OUTREACH QUEEN
(SHE/HER/THEY/THEM)
Photo credit: Lauren Cmiel
Psalms is a creator, healer, activist, and educator with a passion for educating herself and others about Black history as American history, the impact of power structures on how we view the world, and how to self-care in the midst of these oppressive realities. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and a recent graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Psalms has found great purpose in creating loving and supportive spaces for BIPOC folk, as well as helping others become better advocates for justice. In undergrad she founded Beta Nu Theta Service Fraternity which was dedicated to this purpose. Through her role as a Rising Earth Immersion Core Facilitator, she has been able to continue this work of helping participants realize how they can be of service to the world through their gifts/creativity, experiences, education, and growing consciousness of how we interact with systems of power. As she steps into a larger role as part of the Media & Public Communications team, she looks forward to continuing to expand the Eco-Institute's networks and opportunities as they relate to increased diversity and a greater capacity for shaping change.