"Emmett Till Still Speaking"

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 122th  in our Democracy and Hope Series. This series will highlight hopeful aspects about our Democracy using various genres including poems his name is a revelation / a hush turned hurricane / a child of Mississippi skies / turned midnight rain.

they tried to lynch the laughter / smother the sun in his skin / bury his Black breath beneath sin’s southern grin.

they feared the brilliance in his bones / the joy in his gaze / tried to erase the future / with a river & a grave.

but we got memory like drums / like gospel / like griot tongues— we chant Emmett in the hush between heartbeats / we carry him in lungs.

they cannot unwrite him / unlight him / undo his flame— he walk in our walk / he speak in our name.

we will never forget / not his face / not that cry / he ain’t die / he rise. every time we breathe / he testify.

©️MustafaSantiagoAli

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