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 126th in our Democracy and Hope Series. This series will highlight hopeful aspects about our Democracy using various genres including poems. they heard the heartbeat of bullets whisper “fall” — but rose, two lights in fatigues, one Black, one White, bare-knuckled courage bleeding into bone.
Aaron leapt—iron sinew meeting cold steel, Justin answered—hands like wings, wrapping night into surrender. Joshua pressed palms on bleeding arteries, his own hands baptized in crimson prayers—stop, keep breathing.
Eve and Robert danced in narrow halls of dread— combat medics stitching hope with trembled fingers, Melissa cracked open the war-labyrinth, ushering rescue in the still-smoke echo.
they carried more than medals afterward— carried the tremor of love-threaded survival, carried the question: what is valor— if not bare hands against bullets, flesh folded into flesh, Black and White and brave becoming the answer? ©️MustafaSantiagoAli
#Poetry #Heroes #FortStewart #Georgia #ARMY