Mustafa Santiago Ali
Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali is the Executive Vice President of Conservation & Justice for the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), former Interim Chief of Programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and Instructor at American University. He is the Founder and CEO of Revitalization Strategies. He also serves as a commissioner for The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). He is an award-winning writer and poet focused on social justice. Dr. Ali is frequently seen on television, including appearances on MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, VICE, FUSE, BET, National Geographic, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and Democracy NOW! Mustafa is also a regular guest on Roland Martin Unfiltered, Black News Channel, Tavis Smiley Show, The Dean Obeidallah Show, and many others…
Editor's Note: This poem is the 112th in our Democracy and Hope Series. This series will highlight hopeful aspects about our Democracy using various genres including poems
they thought clay would bury her— didn’t know Black girls bloom where pressure tries to break us.
coco ain’t just serve & swing, she sings— each backhand a verse, each forehand a protest. she don’t just play the game, she rewrites the rules in cursive, grace & grit dripping from her wrist.
they called her too young, too Black, too bold— & still, she danced on Roland Garros like it was her grandma’s kitchen floor, feet whisperin’ to the ancestors, ball kissin’ lines like it knew this moment was ours.
black girl brilliance ain’t a trend, it’s tradition. & today, she ain’t just lift a trophy— she lifted us.
©️MustafaSantiagoAli
@CocoGauff @rolandgarros #poetry @espn