2020 was one of the most challenging years every for the citizens of South Minneapolis. This spoken word piece opened our 2020 fall event, recapping the year’s events, and demonstrating the resilience of our community.
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Lyrics
This is OUR city
OUR home, OUR place, OUR life is here
Among rivers and lakes
Though sometimes I fear, it gives less than it takes
The disease is invisible, silent and deadly
COVID-19, the country wasn’t ready
Thousands dead, but the numbers still ain’t steady
Our calendars are empty, full of crossed out dreams
Birthdays, graduations, we’ve lost out celebrations
Lost occupations, and now, we’re losing patience
Mask on, shape shifter
Gotta change my face
Trying hard not let my culture be erased
There’s nothing social about the distance
Hidden in our homes
Cause whether it’s the violence or the virus, something’s in the air trying to kill us
Home of the brave, land of the free
Does that statement apply to me?
On my knees praying ‘Lord please, there’s more of us dying than the falling leaves’
Marcus, George, Breonna, Jamar
Shouting their names, loud and far
No justice, no peace
And they still ain’t prosecuting police
Charged for the strays, not the people in an early grave
Screaming black power, as we march down Lake
The darkness is growing, though we gotta stay hopeful
Working together, we can make our city better
Might not see it in the media, but Minneapolis is cleaning up
Coming together to help ends meat
We’re cleaning up the debris
Putting our lives back together, piece by piece
Working together to rebuild the block, brick by brick
But the violence may never stop
But, we can build HOPE in these empty lots
Don’t you realize, this is OUR time
With my mentors right beside me
Reaching forward, always climbing, towards a better future
WE are the solution
These words, these people, UV, you and me
We can break the cycle, break free from the institution
And the truth is
Black, Brown, White, TOGETHER
This is OUR fight
This is OUR city, OUR home, OUR place
Connected by the water, rivers and lakes
Just like the Mississippi, we might bend, but we won’t break
We’ll lift our city higher, no matter what it takes
