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 54th in our Democracy and Hope Series. This series will highlight hopeful aspects about our Democracy using various genres including poems, interviews, short stories, and articles about political events
It’s okay to be authentically you, to stretch into the skin that always fit, to let the truth of your breath settle deep, like a forgotten friend come home again.
Breathe in happiness without fear, let it fill your chest, rise up and out, let it echo through the silence you left behind, because joy is not a fleeting thing—it’s yours to keep.
Bathe in it, fully submerged, don’t just dip your toes, dive in deep. Let the water wash away the weight of pretending, there’s power in living free, unbent, unbroken.
Wrap yourself in new possibilities, like a cloak sewn with hope’s steady hands, because tomorrow is unwritten, and you’ve always had the ink.
It’s okay to be more than survival, to thrive, to smile, to sing in the daylight. This world is waiting for your voice, and you are ready to rise.
@MustafaSantiagoAli
#Poetry #LifeHacks #selflove #happy #ProudBlue