LEARN ENGLISH Donovan Livingston Racial Inequalities In The Education System
good afternoon good afternoon how’s
everyone doing today good so greetings
friends family faculty staff alumni and
the illustrious class of 2016 make some
noise
so my name is Donovan Livingston and I
came to address you in the best way I
know how but you have to forgive me I
have to take this moment in for a little
while when I spoke when I spoke in my
high school graduation several years ago
my high school English teacher
threatened to replace me on the program
or cut my microphone when she found out
that I was interested in doing a poem as
a part of my remarks so I am eternally
grateful for being able to share this
piece of myself and my most authentic
voice with you this afternoon
so spoken word poetry it insists on
participation so if you feel so
compelled snap clap throw up your hands
rejoice celebrate class of 2016 this is
your address and this is your day
[Applause]
education then beyond all other devices
of human origin is a great equalizer of
the conditions of men Horace Mann 1848
at the time of his remarks I couldn’t
read I couldn’t write any attempt to do
so
punishable by death for generations we
have known of knowledge as infinite
power yet somehow we have never
questioned the keeper of the keys the
guardians of information unfortunately
I’ve seen more dividing and conquering
in this order of operations a heinous
miscalculation of reality for some the
only difference between a classroom and
a plantation is time how many times must
we be made to feel like quotas like
tokens and coin phrases diversity
inclusion there are days I feel like one
like only a lonely blossom in a briar
patch of broken promises but hey I’ve
always been a thorn in the side of
injustice disruptive talkative a
distraction with a passion that
transcends the confines of my own
consciousness beyond your curriculum
beyond your standards
I stand here a manifestation of love in
pain with veins pumping revolution I am
the strange fruit that grew to write for
the popular tree I am a dream act dream
deferred incarnate and a movement an
amalgam of memories America where care
to forget my past alone won’t allow me
to sit still so my body like my mind
cannot be contained as educators rather
than raising your voices over the
rustling of our chains take them off
uncuff us unencumbered by the lumbering
weight of poverty and privilege policy
in ignorance I was in the seventh grade
when mr. Parker told me Donovan we could
put all of your excess energy to good
use and she introduced me to the sound
of my own voice she gave me a stage a
platform she told me that our stories
are the ladders that make it easier for
us to touch the star so climb and grab
them keep climbing grab them spill your
emotions in the Big Dipper and pour out
your soul light up the world with your
luminous allured to educate requires
Galileo like patience today when I look
my students in the eyes all I see are
constellations if you take the time to
connect the dots you can plot the true
shape of their genius shining in their
darkest hour I look each of my students
in the eyes and see the same light that
aligned Orion’s belt in the Pyramids of
Giza I see the same twinkle that guided
Harriet to freedom I see them beneath
their masks in their mischief exists an
authentic frustration and enslavement to
your standardized assessments at the
core none of us were meant to be coming
we were born to be comets darting across
space in time leaving our mark as we
crashed into everything a crater is a
reminder that something amazing happened
right here an indelible impact that
shook up the world are we not
astronomers searching for the next
shooting star I teach in hopes of
turning contents into rocket ships
tribulations into telescopes so a child
can see their true potential from right
where they stand and injustice is
telling them they are stars without
acknowledging the night that surrounds
them injustice is telling them education
is the key while you continue to
change the locks education is no
equalizer rather it is the sleep that
proceeds the American dream so wake up
wake up lift your voices until you’ve
patched every hole in a child’s broken
sky wake up every child so they know of
their celestial potential I’ve been the
black hole in a classroom for far too
long
absorbing everything without allowing my
light to escape but those days are done
I belong among the Stars and so do you
and so do they
[Applause]
together together we can inspire
galaxies of greatness for generations to
come
so no no sky is not the limit it is only
the beginning
lift off
[Applause]