in this body my hair is a funeral procession dead cells announcing my
procession dead cells announcing my
procession dead cells announcing my ancestry my hair is a knife a noose more
ancestry my hair is a knife a noose more
ancestry my hair is a knife a noose more important than my resume my liberation
important than my resume my liberation
important than my resume my liberation he carries his ancestors survival
he carries his ancestors survival
he carries his ancestors survival lessons in his waves hidden like a chore
lessons in his waves hidden like a chore
lessons in his waves hidden like a chore last night this is our way of keeping
last night this is our way of keeping
last night this is our way of keeping the Dead Alive our hair our Lea de los
the Dead Alive our hair our Lea de los
the Dead Alive our hair our Lea de los Muertos
Muertos
Muertos our suit suitors duck tail in Vietnam
our suit suitors duck tail in Vietnam
our suit suitors duck tail in Vietnam military fade all Ritchie Valens and
military fade all Ritchie Valens and
military fade all Ritchie Valens and Carlos Santana our Bob Marley and Jimi
Carlos Santana our Bob Marley and Jimi
Carlos Santana our Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix he still remembers the first
Hendrix he still remembers the first
Hendrix he still remembers the first haircut he paid for first time his momma
haircut he paid for first time his momma
haircut he paid for first time his momma didn’t choose the style so we traded the
didn’t choose the style so we traded the
didn’t choose the style so we traded the Boca for a flattop left the line on the
Boca for a flattop left the line on the
Boca for a flattop left the line on the side and he saved a place for his
side and he saved a place for his
side and he saved a place for his signature Fresh Prince of the hood you
signature Fresh Prince of the hood you
signature Fresh Prince of the hood you did the damn thing and now your hair
did the damn thing and now your hair
did the damn thing and now your hair looks fly that doesn’t mean it wants to
looks fly that doesn’t mean it wants to
looks fly that doesn’t mean it wants to be fondled this is not a petting zoo for
be fondled this is not a petting zoo for
be fondled this is not a petting zoo for years I kept my hair faded the first
years I kept my hair faded the first
years I kept my hair faded the first time I grew it out my dad’s laugh curled
time I grew it out my dad’s laugh curled
time I grew it out my dad’s laugh curled its tips
its tips
its tips my mom’s laugh gave it a wave and Bend
my mom’s laugh gave it a wave and Bend
my mom’s laugh gave it a wave and Bend my hair is my parents first day kiss at
my hair is my parents first day kiss at
my hair is my parents first day kiss at the barbershop though the boy beside me
the barbershop though the boy beside me
the barbershop though the boy beside me asked for a clean cut he said just don’t
asked for a clean cut he said just don’t
asked for a clean cut he said just don’t make it look gay as if your fade is too
make it look gay as if your fade is too
make it look gay as if your fade is too high
high
high suddenly you need your salad tossed a
student of mine thinks my hair is funky
student of mine thinks my hair is funky too explosive and out of control since
too explosive and out of control since
too explosive and out of control since it would look better if it resembled mr.
it would look better if it resembled mr.
it would look better if it resembled mr. Owens so common sophisticated I remember
Owens so common sophisticated I remember
Owens so common sophisticated I remember begging my mother for my first perm she
begging my mother for my first perm she
begging my mother for my first perm she nearly cried morning hands baptized my
nearly cried morning hands baptized my
nearly cried morning hands baptized my hair and chemical relaxer so straight my
hair and chemical relaxer so straight my
hair and chemical relaxer so straight my bones could feel the recolonization
bones could feel the recolonization
bones could feel the recolonization maybe now my skin won’t be a brick
maybe now my skin won’t be a brick
maybe now my skin won’t be a brick through their window the mirror warned
through their window the mirror warned
through their window the mirror warned me I looked like a thief I stole my body
me I looked like a thief I stole my body
me I looked like a thief I stole my body back with a pair of scissors rosebush
back with a pair of scissors rosebush
back with a pair of scissors rosebush curls crowning my head my liberation
curls crowning my head my liberation
curls crowning my head my liberation came in my natural state I never needed
came in my natural state I never needed
came in my natural state I never needed America to embrace me the brown kids
America to embrace me the brown kids
America to embrace me the brown kids hair
hair
hair ever needed your approval never meant to
ever needed your approval never meant to
ever needed your approval never meant to fit your standards of beauty we set our
fit your standards of beauty we set our
fit your standards of beauty we set our own bars fix our own dues we backyard
own bars fix our own dues we backyard
own bars fix our own dues we backyard barbers and living room salon braiders
barbers and living room salon braiders
barbers and living room salon braiders the proof that colonization is a pair of
the proof that colonization is a pair of
the proof that colonization is a pair of dull scissors can never really cut
dull scissors can never really cut
dull scissors can never really cut through the ancestral roots they
through the ancestral roots they
through the ancestral roots they promised us beauty in exchange for
promised us beauty in exchange for
promised us beauty in exchange for assimilation we are by ourselves to come
assimilation we are by ourselves to come
assimilation we are by ourselves to come back I came back like new growth my hair
back I came back like new growth my hair
back I came back like new growth my hair does not mess with clipped I will bend
does not mess with clipped I will bend
does not mess with clipped I will bend them into freedom song if only it broke
them into freedom song if only it broke
them into freedom song if only it broke fingers the way it broke combs our hair
fingers the way it broke combs our hair
fingers the way it broke combs our hair is the one thing stronger than the lint
is the one thing stronger than the lint
is the one thing stronger than the lint rope longer than the trails of tea
rope longer than the trails of tea
rope longer than the trails of tea resistant like slave uprisings like two
resistant like slave uprisings like two
resistant like slave uprisings like two nations in one body whenever alone
nations in one body whenever alone
nations in one body whenever alone either
either
either black panther’s ends up by these laws
black panther’s ends up by these laws
black panther’s ends up by these laws these kinks these braids these curls are
these kinks these braids these curls are
these kinks these braids these curls are silent war against burnt flags and
silent war against burnt flags and
silent war against burnt flags and snatched bodies my hair is my royalty as
snatched bodies my hair is my royalty as
snatched bodies my hair is my royalty as big as a continent as big as a culture
big as a continent as big as a culture
big as a continent as big as a culture my hair is bigger than you
have you seen this picture in this
have you seen this picture in this picture Jose was only 7 the same age as
picture Jose was only 7 the same age as
picture Jose was only 7 the same age as his son at this age he was loud could
his son at this age he was loud could
his son at this age he was loud could sing any tune on the radio and as you
sing any tune on the radio and as you
sing any tune on the radio and as you could see he refused to wear clothes I
could see he refused to wear clothes I
could see he refused to wear clothes I love this picture
love this picture
love this picture he’s so innocent and full of life
he’s so innocent and full of life
he’s so innocent and full of life so comfortable in his own skin my mother
so comfortable in his own skin my mother
so comfortable in his own skin my mother says the most beautiful things she loves
says the most beautiful things she loves
says the most beautiful things she loves to read through the memoirs she’s
to read through the memoirs she’s
to read through the memoirs she’s captured in our family photo album each
captured in our family photo album each
captured in our family photo album each image an elaborate story she will share
image an elaborate story she will share
image an elaborate story she will share with my son she also loves to watch the
with my son she also loves to watch the
with my son she also loves to watch the news but he met him back door she says
news but he met him back door she says
news but he met him back door she says those news anchors are just a bunch of
those news anchors are just a bunch of
those news anchors are just a bunch of cheese morsels like the women in Juarez
cheese morsels like the women in Juarez
cheese morsels like the women in Juarez I smile but you can’t hold a smile for
I smile but you can’t hold a smile for
I smile but you can’t hold a smile for long when you watch the news in Spanish
long when you watch the news in Spanish
long when you watch the news in Spanish it’s all blood and civil war are
it’s all blood and civil war are
it’s all blood and civil war are neocolonialism and drug trafficking on
neocolonialism and drug trafficking on
neocolonialism and drug trafficking on this day they’re filming live from me
this day they’re filming live from me
this day they’re filming live from me while I get read all Mexico a city known
while I get read all Mexico a city known
while I get read all Mexico a city known best for its beautiful flags and it’s
best for its beautiful flags and it’s
best for its beautiful flags and it’s missing children our 43 of them there’s
missing children our 43 of them there’s
missing children our 43 of them there’s been one year since the mysterious
been one year since the mysterious
been one year since the mysterious disappearance of Shh news correction
disappearance of Shh news correction
disappearance of Shh news correction it’s been one year since the kidnapping
it’s been one year since the kidnapping
it’s been one year since the kidnapping and murder of 43 student activists for
and murder of 43 student activists for
and murder of 43 student activists for my Yahtzee Napa stolen by Mexican police
my Yahtzee Napa stolen by Mexican police
my Yahtzee Napa stolen by Mexican police and burnt by a dump this is what happens
and burnt by a dump this is what happens
and burnt by a dump this is what happens when brown children get too loud in
when brown children get too loud in
when brown children get too loud in public places they turn us in to crime
public places they turn us in to crime
public places they turn us in to crime scenes and new segments into ashes and
scenes and new segments into ashes and
scenes and new segments into ashes and reduces to our baby pictures on today’s
reduces to our baby pictures on today’s
reduces to our baby pictures on today’s episode we will be speaking live with
episode we will be speaking live with
episode we will be speaking live with two mothers of the disappeared
two mothers of the disappeared
two mothers of the disappeared both women tired and soft-spoken so used
both women tired and soft-spoken so used
both women tired and soft-spoken so used to their words going unheard they never
to their words going unheard they never
to their words going unheard they never imagined they’d reach stardom for
imagined they’d reach stardom for
imagined they’d reach stardom for pleading for the lives of their vanished
pleading for the lives of their vanished
pleading for the lives of their vanished sons a Posada on you it has been one
sons a Posada on you it has been one
sons a Posada on you it has been one year since our sons were taken our hands
year since our sons were taken our hands
year since our sons were taken our hands weary from praying this rosary our
weary from praying this rosary our
weary from praying this rosary our fingers still papercut bleeding from
fingers still papercut bleeding from
fingers still papercut bleeding from holding too tight to their last photo we
holding too tight to their last photo we
holding too tight to their last photo we are shaking not from fear but from anger
are shaking not from fear but from anger
are shaking not from fear but from anger we are starving for answers away you
we are starving for answers away you
we are starving for answers away you please help us Avista children is the
please help us Avista children is the
please help us Avista children is the photo have you seen the boy in this
photo have you seen the boy in this
photo have you seen the boy in this picture no one ever will as I watch the
picture no one ever will as I watch the
picture no one ever will as I watch the news I can’t help but notice the
news I can’t help but notice the
news I can’t help but notice the similarities between these women and my
similarities between these women and my
similarities between these women and my mother they all know the meaning of
mother they all know the meaning of
mother they all know the meaning of sacrifice so well so I asked a question
sacrifice so well so I asked a question
sacrifice so well so I asked a question no trigger warning I just shoot mama
no trigger warning I just shoot mama
no trigger warning I just shoot mama which picture would you choose that was
which picture would you choose that was
which picture would you choose that was me she does not answer the silence and
me she does not answer the silence and
me she does not answer the silence and the Wells building underneath her eyes
the Wells building underneath her eyes
the Wells building underneath her eyes give me the only answer I need no mother
give me the only answer I need no mother
give me the only answer I need no mother should ever be burdened to have to
should ever be burdened to have to
should ever be burdened to have to choose the last image the world will
choose the last image the world will
choose the last image the world will remember their child by to this day
remember their child by to this day
remember their child by to this day those women still believe their sons are
those women still believe their sons are
those women still believe their sons are alive walking down the streets of Mexico
alive walking down the streets of Mexico
alive walking down the streets of Mexico wailing the names of their vanished sons
wailing the names of their vanished sons
wailing the names of their vanished sons they are modern-day your honors holding
they are modern-day your honors holding
they are modern-day your honors holding head shots full of head shots there is
head shots full of head shots there is
head shots full of head shots there is blood on that president’s hands and here
blood on that president’s hands and here
blood on that president’s hands and here I stand at TEDx my life telling this
I stand at TEDx my life telling this
I stand at TEDx my life telling this story like it’s foreign to us like our
story like it’s foreign to us like our
story like it’s foreign to us like our news unloved
news unloved
news unloved with shots of brown and black boys being
with shots of brown and black boys being
with shots of brown and black boys being shot so let me ask you a question have
shot so let me ask you a question have
shot so let me ask you a question have you seen these pictures have you seen
you seen these pictures have you seen
you seen these pictures have you seen these pictures if you haven’t all you
these pictures if you haven’t all you
these pictures if you haven’t all you have to do is open your eyes
have to do is open your eyes
have to do is open your eyes thank you
thank you
thank you you
”
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