By Nikita Haynie
After the news of Anitra Gunn body was found,a missing college student, literally my heart shattered and my emotions felt reminiscent of the death of Alexis Crawford months earlier. I AM TIRED OF BLACK WOMEN DYING at the expense of emotionally and mentally deficit men. A friend recently shared an article with me about a former chef who committed sexual assault against three women due to his struggle with masculinity. Excuse me what?! When does this atrocity end? If you feel like I’m an angry black woman, it’s because I am. Myself and many other black women are tired of this bullshit. WHO WILL PROTECT BLACK WOMEN? Brittney Cooper, black feminist and professor, in her book Eloquent Rage, personified my thoughts perfectly, “I’m a black woman who want to live in a nation that believes it has responsibility to Black women, as citizens and as people, to make the world safe for them.” To channel my thoughts and energy I wrote a poem for black women across the nation.
#PROTECTBLACKWOMEN
More than a hashtag but an action.
More than an Instagram caption.
We are your mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmas aunties and strangers too
We all deserve to be protected by you
Laborers are far and few but when it comes to a black woman we always got you
Us
Who got us?
Us
Who will stand for us ?
On the front line like we always do
They killed another black woman yesterday and where were you
Nurturer. Healer. Teacher.
A few titles for you but encompassing more,
More, more
Why don’t we mean more to you ?
It ain’t safe, it ain’t safe
Especially for the black girls
This world doesn’t give a damn
But do you black man?
Us
Do you got us?
Always intimated, never celebrated
Mediocrity, a black woman could never
White women, an ally you say?
But when yall go missing, get killed it’s in circulation all day
Us
Who got us?
More than a hashtag but an action.
More than an Instagram caption.
We are your mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmas aunties and strangers too
We all deserve to be protected by you
Laborers are far and few but when it comes to a black woman we always got you
Us
Who got us?
Us
Who will stand for us ?
Us
Love Us
Value Us
Acknowledge Us
Safe
Will you make it safe?
It aint safe
Us
Who got us?
Us
Protect
Will you protect us?
PROTECT.
BLACK.
WOMEN.
Nikita Haynie is the Assistant Editor for the Pedestal Project, LLC. Nikita is a writer, author, and educator. She is a creative that writes content intersecting faith, black womanhood, and culture. Proud optimist. Follow her on Instagram: @thenikitahaynie. Check her out at NikitaHaynie.com
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