dear young black girls,
i'm sorry that you cannot turn on the TV and see black female role models.
i'm so sorry that you are constantly being shamed for your natural features.
sorry that you're constantly under the pressure to comply with eurocentric beauty standards.
your skin color is a blessing.
your hair is beautiful.
do not change anything about yourself for the sake of the way society views you.
dear young black boys,
i'm sorry that your constantly seen as a threat to those around you.
i'm so sorry that you cannot gather in in a group with all of your peers without the fear that you're going to be accused of doing wrong.
sorry that society will someday see you as a "deadbeat dad" and someone who won't be able to provide for himself, much less his family.
your skin color is beautiful.
ignore everyone, keep up the good work, you will be successful.
you bleed the same color as every other human being on this planet and i am so sorry that has not yet been recognized after how many years?
irrelevant.
you are loved, you are wonderful, you are talented, you are unique.
follow your dreams.
be ambitious.
fight for your beliefs.
stand your ground.
justice will be served.
change will come.

you.
you have been on my mind lately.
you.
i think about you constantly.
you.
you're in my dreams.
you.
you're in my prayers.
you.
i just can't seem to let go of-
you.
                                                 [v.c]

i'm searching.
searching for you in a crowd of people.
searching for your soul out of all of them.
searching for that light that drew me to you when we first met.
where did you go?
where is the soul that once captured mine?
where is that light?
i'm searching.
but i'm beginning to lose hope.

efficient yet sinful.
we build cities, we find cures for illness.
we grow, we reproduce.
we dream, we love.
but we never quite know what we want.
we crave lustful encounters,
yet when it comes to being in love,
we always wonder if the grass is greener on the other side.
we cheat, we lie, we're greedy.
humans.
flawed as a race.
flawed altogether.

no equality, no justice
just racism and sin
another man murdered?
pray for him!
we live in a world where its rare to be comfortable in your own skin.
everyday is a fight trying to discover who you really are within.
money rules everything, and for some of us it takes over
greed, drugs, lust, in control completely.
the only thing we ever see is *** and a glamorized version of reality.
our minds are consumed by the idea of a perfect world
yet the only thing all humans long for is love.
most of us never find it, or when we do we have no idea how to handle it
and the one person who genuinely loves us ends up leaving with no intention of returning.
we live our lives to work.
we follow this routine.
there are those of us who slave for little wages.
those of us who cannot afford a luxurious holiday or birthday.
those of us who can't provide for our children and loved ones,
and those of us who are ignored, and awaiting justice.
we struggle.
some of us never overcome our battles.
that's life,  
that's truth.

stay with me.
turn off your phone.
put your watch down.
inhale.
stay with me.
hold my hand and tell me everything is okay.
kiss my cheeks and tell me i'm beautiful.
exhale.
stay with me.
turn the music up a little.
get under the covers with me.
i love you.
please don't leave me.