[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] poets and activists Audrey Lord said
poets and activists Audrey Lord said
poets and activists Audrey Lord said caring for myself is not self-indulgence
caring for myself is not self-indulgence
caring for myself is not self-indulgence it is self-preservation and that is an
it is self-preservation and that is an
it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare
act of political warfare
act of political warfare so welcome revolutionaries good evening
so welcome revolutionaries good evening
so welcome revolutionaries good evening for many of us we grew up believing that
for many of us we grew up believing that
for many of us we grew up believing that political activism meant a very specific
political activism meant a very specific
political activism meant a very specific thing that it meant this right or that
thing that it meant this right or that
thing that it meant this right or that it meant this or in its most extreme
it meant this or in its most extreme
it meant this or in its most extreme cases that it meant this but what if I
cases that it meant this but what if I
cases that it meant this but what if I told you the political activism isn’t
told you the political activism isn’t
told you the political activism isn’t actually a choice that being political
actually a choice that being political
actually a choice that being political isn’t a choice what if I told you that
isn’t a choice what if I told you that
isn’t a choice what if I told you that political activism is this seek model
political activism is this seek model
political activism is this seek model Haroon car unapologetically rocking a
Haroon car unapologetically rocking a
Haroon car unapologetically rocking a beard what if I told you it’s Stella
beard what if I told you it’s Stella
beard what if I told you it’s Stella young doing a TED talk on how she is not
young doing a TED talk on how she is not
young doing a TED talk on how she is not your inspiration porn what if I told you
your inspiration porn what if I told you
your inspiration porn what if I told you that it was fifty a hundred black men
that it was fifty a hundred black men
that it was fifty a hundred black men graduating from college the truth is our
graduating from college the truth is our
graduating from college the truth is our bodies are political the personal is
bodies are political the personal is
bodies are political the personal is political whether we want it to be or
political whether we want it to be or
political whether we want it to be or not so the really only question to be
not so the really only question to be
not so the really only question to be pondered is whether or not we will use
pondered is whether or not we will use
pondered is whether or not we will use our bodies to uphold systems of
our bodies to uphold systems of
our bodies to uphold systems of oppression or to defy them the word
oppression or to defy them the word
oppression or to defy them the word body-positive is quite a buzzword these
body-positive is quite a buzzword these
body-positive is quite a buzzword these days everybody’s saying that right it’s
days everybody’s saying that right it’s
days everybody’s saying that right it’s very cute normally if you know it get
very cute normally if you know it get
very cute normally if you know it get conjures notions of spa days and rocking
conjures notions of spa days and rocking
conjures notions of spa days and rocking your favorite pink bikini defying the
your favorite pink bikini defying the
your favorite pink bikini defying the sin of cellulite and while body love is
sin of cellulite and while body love is
sin of cellulite and while body love is an amazing thing to aspire to unto
an amazing thing to aspire to unto
an amazing thing to aspire to unto itself it will not change the world
itself it will not change the world
itself it will not change the world I hate to be the bearer of bad news but
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your hot pink bikini and your new
your hot pink bikini and your new
your hot pink bikini and your new Italian speedo are not disrupting any
Italian speedo are not disrupting any
Italian speedo are not disrupting any systems however there are ways to use
systems however there are ways to use
systems however there are ways to use our bodies as everyday acts of
our bodies as everyday acts of
our bodies as everyday acts of resistance I call this work radical
resistance I call this work radical
resistance I call this work radical self-love radical self-love moves us
self-love radical self-love moves us
self-love radical self-love moves us beyond the flimsy notions of self esteem
beyond the flimsy notions of self esteem
beyond the flimsy notions of self esteem or self confidence it moves us beyond
or self confidence it moves us beyond
or self confidence it moves us beyond the notions of individualism radical
the notions of individualism radical
the notions of individualism radical self-love is not independent it is inter
self-love is not independent it is inter
self-love is not independent it is inter dependent it is about our relationship
dependent it is about our relationship
dependent it is about our relationship not only with our bodies with the bodies
not only with our bodies with the bodies
not only with our bodies with the bodies of others as we learn to make peace with
of others as we learn to make peace with
of others as we learn to make peace with our bodies and make peace with other
our bodies and make peace with other
our bodies and make peace with other people’s bodies we create an opening for
people’s bodies we create an opening for
people’s bodies we create an opening for creating a more just and equitable world
creating a more just and equitable world
creating a more just and equitable world every time you call truce with your body
every time you call truce with your body
every time you call truce with your body you interrupt a system of violence and
you interrupt a system of violence and
you interrupt a system of violence and power that profits off of yourself hate
power that profits off of yourself hate
power that profits off of yourself hate every time you interrogate the beliefs
every time you interrogate the beliefs
every time you interrogate the beliefs and biases that you have about other
and biases that you have about other
and biases that you have about other bodies you interrupt a system that
bodies you interrupt a system that
bodies you interrupt a system that profits off of the way that you feel
profits off of the way that you feel
profits off of the way that you feel about other bodies and the systems of
about other bodies and the systems of
about other bodies and the systems of comparison that we live in our
comparison that we live in our
comparison that we live in our relationship with our bodies is our
relationship with our bodies is our
relationship with our bodies is our access to a more just and equitable
access to a more just and equitable
access to a more just and equitable world our relationship with other
world our relationship with other
world our relationship with other people’s bodies is how we bend the box
people’s bodies is how we bend the box
people’s bodies is how we bend the box towards justice this slide is an amazing
towards justice this slide is an amazing
towards justice this slide is an amazing event that I wrote a poem about that I
event that I wrote a poem about that I
event that I wrote a poem about that I would like to share with you all bodies
would like to share with you all bodies
would like to share with you all bodies of resistance it is Monday afternoon and
of resistance it is Monday afternoon and
of resistance it is Monday afternoon and Roberta watches her son’s spout laughter
Roberta watches her son’s spout laughter
Roberta watches her son’s spout laughter from their geyser throats son choked and
from their geyser throats son choked and
from their geyser throats son choked and filled with joy when she brings them to
filled with joy when she brings them to
filled with joy when she brings them to the beach all six members of her family
the beach all six members of her family
the beach all six members of her family are here a sanctuary slightly out of
are here a sanctuary slightly out of
are here a sanctuary slightly out of reach a raft against the constant lash
reach a raft against the constant lash
reach a raft against the constant lash of waves but today the undertow will be
of waves but today the undertow will be
of waves but today the undertow will be too savage for her to save them today
too savage for her to save them today
too savage for her to save them today the ocean is a tyrant appointed to sue
the ocean is a tyrant appointed to sue
the ocean is a tyrant appointed to sue the mall until 80 complete strangers
the mall until 80 complete strangers
the mall until 80 complete strangers build their version of a wall in the
build their version of a wall in the
build their version of a wall in the Gulf of Mexico singularly summoned to
Gulf of Mexico singularly summoned to
Gulf of Mexico singularly summoned to ferry Roberta’s drowning family back to
ferry Roberta’s drowning family back to
ferry Roberta’s drowning family back to shore
shore
shore humans who instinctively know every wall
humans who instinctively know every wall
humans who instinctively know every wall needs at least one door today 80
needs at least one door today 80
needs at least one door today 80 Samaritans became bodies of resistance
Samaritans became bodies of resistance
Samaritans became bodies of resistance today 80 people rebelled against an
today 80 people rebelled against an
today 80 people rebelled against an apathetic oceans insistence on a
apathetic oceans insistence on a
apathetic oceans insistence on a sacrifice and this is life y’all in
sacrifice and this is life y’all in
sacrifice and this is life y’all in these bodies breathless and beleaguered
these bodies breathless and beleaguered
these bodies breathless and beleaguered we coax one another to survive we are
we coax one another to survive we are
we coax one another to survive we are alive despite even our bones dissent the
alive despite even our bones dissent the
alive despite even our bones dissent the slack-jawed letter that says these
slack-jawed letter that says these
slack-jawed letter that says these bodies were not meant for delights
bodies were not meant for delights
bodies were not meant for delights who are we to smile as the world spins
who are we to smile as the world spins
who are we to smile as the world spins in entropy a hula hoop at our feet what
in entropy a hula hoop at our feet what
in entropy a hula hoop at our feet what right have we to meet this day with
right have we to meet this day with
right have we to meet this day with anything but fear we are safe right now
anything but fear we are safe right now
anything but fear we are safe right now but out there wells the tiny bloom of
but out there wells the tiny bloom of
but out there wells the tiny bloom of child we hush from the inside and I know
child we hush from the inside and I know
child we hush from the inside and I know he is she is they are we are afraid
he is she is they are we are afraid
he is she is they are we are afraid convinced we must beware and hide but
convinced we must beware and hide but
convinced we must beware and hide but what are we if not survival personified
what are we if not survival personified
what are we if not survival personified because at this very shake of second a
because at this very shake of second a
because at this very shake of second a queer kid stands unapologetically
queer kid stands unapologetically
queer kid stands unapologetically loosened in the lion’s den of a middle
loosened in the lion’s den of a middle
loosened in the lion’s den of a middle school cafeteria just as a woman steals
school cafeteria just as a woman steals
school cafeteria just as a woman steals herself and takes a seat in the precinct
herself and takes a seat in the precinct
herself and takes a seat in the precinct preparing to report the rape defiant
preparing to report the rape defiant
preparing to report the rape defiant against the red tape that would sooner
against the red tape that would sooner
against the red tape that would sooner indict the length of her skirt only to
indict the length of her skirt only to
indict the length of her skirt only to acquit the Menace of toxic masculinity
acquit the Menace of toxic masculinity
acquit the Menace of toxic masculinity as a fabulously fat woman on a plane
as a fabulously fat woman on a plane
as a fabulously fat woman on a plane explains to the man who has spent the
explains to the man who has spent the
explains to the man who has spent the last 40 minutes shaming her body in a
last 40 minutes shaming her body in a
last 40 minutes shaming her body in a series of tweets that she has no
series of tweets that she has no
series of tweets that she has no intentions on vacating her seat of
intentions on vacating her seat of
intentions on vacating her seat of dignity to make room for his hate at the
dignity to make room for his hate at the
dignity to make room for his hate at the exact second a trans woman turns the
exact second a trans woman turns the
exact second a trans woman turns the doorknob on a woman’s restroom as an ax
doorknob on a woman’s restroom as an ax
doorknob on a woman’s restroom as an ax politician attempts to legislate her
politician attempts to legislate her
politician attempts to legislate her into invisibility a college student with
into invisibility a college student with
into invisibility a college student with cerebral palsy and seven thousand
cerebral palsy and seven thousand
cerebral palsy and seven thousand signatures petitions for accessibility
signatures petitions for accessibility
signatures petitions for accessibility in the office of
in the office of
in the office of University Dean some days the invocation
University Dean some days the invocation
University Dean some days the invocation of simply being seen in the body we have
of simply being seen in the body we have
of simply being seen in the body we have today is the chant is the March is the
today is the chant is the March is the
today is the chant is the March is the picket sign there is no time in all of
picket sign there is no time in all of
picket sign there is no time in all of history when we have not resisted even
history when we have not resisted even
history when we have not resisted even as they attempted to gobble our silence
as they attempted to gobble our silence
as they attempted to gobble our silence nevertheless we persisted each of us a
nevertheless we persisted each of us a
nevertheless we persisted each of us a link in the human chain your shame has
link in the human chain your shame has
link in the human chain your shame has not slain even the lowliest of beasts
not slain even the lowliest of beasts
not slain even the lowliest of beasts but our collective transformation has
but our collective transformation has
but our collective transformation has toppled entire empires delivered us
toppled entire empires delivered us
toppled entire empires delivered us intrepid to capital city streets three
intrepid to capital city streets three
intrepid to capital city streets three million grains of sand forged under the
million grains of sand forged under the
million grains of sand forged under the heat of oppression until we were fine as
heat of oppression until we were fine as
heat of oppression until we were fine as keen-edged glass a butte råsunda fraid
keen-edged glass a butte råsunda fraid
keen-edged glass a butte råsunda fraid to ask why black life should not matter
to ask why black life should not matter
to ask why black life should not matter as we saw nove in we knew solidarity was
as we saw nove in we knew solidarity was
as we saw nove in we knew solidarity was a word that must spring forever like
a word that must spring forever like
a word that must spring forever like water beside a standing Rock the clock
water beside a standing Rock the clock
water beside a standing Rock the clock of justice will not tarry while you
of justice will not tarry while you
of justice will not tarry while you question whether you are worthy of the
question whether you are worthy of the
question whether you are worthy of the fight despite all you’ve been told
fight despite all you’ve been told
fight despite all you’ve been told resistance is an everyday act the work
resistance is an everyday act the work
resistance is an everyday act the work of excavating every tiny artifact of the
of excavating every tiny artifact of the
of excavating every tiny artifact of the oppressor that lives in you your call to
oppressor that lives in you your call to
oppressor that lives in you your call to be a balm to every self-inflicted wound
be a balm to every self-inflicted wound
be a balm to every self-inflicted wound is the way movements are birthed in a
is the way movements are birthed in a
is the way movements are birthed in a land glad to wish us endless slumber
land glad to wish us endless slumber
land glad to wish us endless slumber waking unrepentant and our skin is a
waking unrepentant and our skin is a
waking unrepentant and our skin is a hero’s journey in the only way we
hero’s journey in the only way we
hero’s journey in the only way we collectively prevail and only then can
collectively prevail and only then can
collectively prevail and only then can we say in the words of the famous poet
we say in the words of the famous poet
we say in the words of the famous poet Lucille Clifton won’t you celebrate with
Lucille Clifton won’t you celebrate with
Lucille Clifton won’t you celebrate with me that every day something has tried to
me that every day something has tried to
me that every day something has tried to kill us and has failed and has failed
kill us and has failed and has failed
kill us and has failed and has failed and will fail
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
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