I was Born into this Skin | Michelle Dodd | TEDxRVAWomen

[Applause]

[Applause] if God were to ask me why my writings

if God were to ask me why my writings

if God were to ask me why my writings gotten noticeably dark hangman it was

gotten noticeably dark hangman it was

gotten noticeably dark hangman it was given to us as a game when we were

given to us as a game when we were

given to us as a game when we were younger black people aren’t supposed to

younger black people aren’t supposed to

younger black people aren’t supposed to know how to spell black people aren’t

know how to spell black people aren’t

know how to spell black people aren’t supposed to be saved this is my history

supposed to be saved this is my history

supposed to be saved this is my history now I didn’t grow up in an all-black

now I didn’t grow up in an all-black

now I didn’t grow up in an all-black family they’ll say I’m just a black girl

family they’ll say I’m just a black girl

family they’ll say I’m just a black girl hung from an arm of some rich white

hung from an arm of some rich white

hung from an arm of some rich white person that I am a burden dark enough to

person that I am a burden dark enough to

person that I am a burden dark enough to be taken out on sight removed like a

be taken out on sight removed like a

be taken out on sight removed like a melanoma they’ll call me malignant say

melanoma they’ll call me malignant say

melanoma they’ll call me malignant say I’m a threat why you wanna fly there are

I’m a threat why you wanna fly there are

I’m a threat why you wanna fly there are people who treat anyone who looks like

people who treat anyone who looks like

people who treat anyone who looks like me as if we don’t feel pain as if this

me as if we don’t feel pain as if this

me as if we don’t feel pain as if this dark skin is just a suit I could say

dark skin is just a suit I could say

dark skin is just a suit I could say we’re the spitting image of God that

we’re the spitting image of God that

we’re the spitting image of God that they would not hesitate to kill God God

they would not hesitate to kill God God

they would not hesitate to kill God God was just walking to the store to buy a

was just walking to the store to buy a

was just walking to the store to buy a case of water you know prepare for the

case of water you know prepare for the

case of water you know prepare for the storm how do you destroy a being you

storm how do you destroy a being you

storm how do you destroy a being you make sure they know they were never holy

make sure they know they were never holy

make sure they know they were never holy or human enough to begin with poison

or human enough to begin with poison

or human enough to begin with poison their waters outlaw their skin outlaw

their waters outlaw their skin outlaw

their waters outlaw their skin outlaw their hair stop and frisk take their

their hair stop and frisk take their

their hair stop and frisk take their guide away it’s not brutality it is

guide away it’s not brutality it is

guide away it’s not brutality it is logic why you wanna fly Blackbird you

logic why you wanna fly Blackbird you

logic why you wanna fly Blackbird you ain’t never gonna fly their mortal hands

ain’t never gonna fly their mortal hands

ain’t never gonna fly their mortal hands are stripping us of our wings before we

are stripping us of our wings before we

are stripping us of our wings before we can even grow into them the wings made

can even grow into them the wings made

can even grow into them the wings made of angels should not be determined by

of angels should not be determined by

of angels should not be determined by the color of their feathers asked me why

the color of their feathers asked me why

the color of their feathers asked me why my writings gotten dark I’ll say it’s

my writings gotten dark I’ll say it’s

my writings gotten dark I’ll say it’s full of too many scars too much rope not

full of too many scars too much rope not

full of too many scars too much rope not enough letters my parents did not raise

enough letters my parents did not raise

enough letters my parents did not raise me to die before them I don’t want my

me to die before them I don’t want my

me to die before them I don’t want my life expectancy put into the hands of

life expectancy put into the hands of

life expectancy put into the hands of people who have trigger-happy morals I

people who have trigger-happy morals I

people who have trigger-happy morals I was born into this skin and that is not

was born into this skin and that is not

was born into this skin and that is not a sin or crime nor it inconvenience our

a sin or crime nor it inconvenience our

a sin or crime nor it inconvenience our history is not disrespectful of the law

history is not disrespectful of the law

history is not disrespectful of the law of the law disrespects our history with

of the law disrespects our history with

of the law disrespects our history with four crosses in a hash tag I want to

four crosses in a hash tag I want to

four crosses in a hash tag I want to believe that it’s holy enough to protect

believe that it’s holy enough to protect

believe that it’s holy enough to protect us there’s not just another way we’ve

us there’s not just another way we’ve

us there’s not just another way we’ve been hung