I find myself staring at the computer screen, realizing that I’ve been holding my breath. The pounding of my heart reminds me of the fury I feel within. Guilt, shame, anger, rage. My heart aches, but all I can do in the moment is post this clip and hope that perhaps one person will see it and have a shift in perspective. Perhaps they will realize the pain that so many of my loved ones feel every single day and their heart will open just a little. I know that some people would argue and say that hoping isn’t enough, that I am not doing enough, not fighting enough. But I am fighting. My fight just looks different. It’s starting smaller, working within and for the moment involves a hell of a lot of faith, trust and hope.
MC Flow! January 22, 2010
Fuck, I love me some MC Flow! If you don’t know her work, check her out: http://www.mc-flow.com/
Sand brings a whole new meaning January 22, 2010
I saw this video by artist Kseniya Simonova originally a few months ago on my friend’s Facebook and it really stuck with me. I just think that this is a beautiful and poetic piece of work. It fills me with such awe every time I watch it. I hope you enjoy it and it brings you as much as joy as it brings me.
What teachers make… January 21, 2010
I love this spoken word piece. It brings chills up my spin every time I hear it. So inspiring. Enjoy!
What Teachers Make, or Objection Overruled, or If things don’t work out, you can always go to law school
By Taylor Mali
He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”
He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about
teachers: Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite company.
“I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor,” he says.
“Be honest. What do you make?”
And I wish he hadn’t done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won’t I let you get a drink of water?
Because you’re not thirsty, you’re bored, that’s why.
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven’t called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?”
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.
I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful
over and over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?
