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 111th in our Democracy and Hope Series. This series will highlight hopeful aspects about our Democracy using various genres including poems
they slash through breadlines like scissors through promises— cutting checks for billionaires, while babies’ spoons clatter empty against cracked bowls.
mama’s hums a quiet protest, her knuckles raw from scraping hope out of thin air— no butter, no beans, just prayers swelling against tightening belts.
they think hunger’s silent, but we hum louder— with every thin slice of toast, every watery pot of soup, every neighbor’s knock on the door offering one more mouthful of resistance.
you can cut the check, but you can’t cut the cord— we know how to survive. ©️MustafaSantiagoAli
#SNAP #Hunger #Budget2025 #Poetry