Photo by Forster Goodrich

America sees me as a winter wren, small in my existence. There is a reason why winter wrens are not emblems of nations, at first glance, they do not appear powerful. But much like a winter wren, my voice can fill a forest — the kind of song that exclaims, “I am here to stay!” Before me came generations of Black citizens that used not only their voice, but their actions to move mountains and change the world around them. As John Lewis, a freedom rider, elegantly put it, “If not us, then who? And if not now, when?”

To me, Lewis’ questions go far beyond a call to action. Lewis’ words emphasize that if we, Black Americans, do not become activists in the pursuit of our humanity, we will always be, in the eyes of society, more animal than human. So, we shoulder the responsibility of dismantling barriers that we did not create, educating those around us on history that often forgets our names, contributions and everything else in between. Without knowing, we become the agents of change — finding ourselves at the frontlines of movements and standing up for what we believe — even if that means standing alone.

Activism, which refers to the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change, goes beyond protests and demonstrations. Activism takes many forms and, in my life, takes the form of writing. When I was younger, I loved to write about how I saw the world and how the world saw me. Back then, my existence wasn’t controversial. The midnight sky skin that covered my body was not a casket and my name didn’t roll off the tongue like a hashtag or headline. In the world I once lived in I was seen for all I was and could be.

But, since growing older, I have realized that the world I once lived in, is not the world I exist in at large. There are issues in our society that when unaddressed, presents a major issue for all citizens. Therefore, I have assumed the role of an activist.

In November 2022, I addressed the safety of Black women and other women of color on campus. Although it was a rather complex topic to tackle in less than 800 words, I felt it was an issue that could not go unaddressed because my life matters. I knew that if I am not safe on a campus that prides itself on campus safety, then I am not safe anywhere. I have noticed that in situations that deal with safety, especially in the cases of women of color, it becomes a forgotten topic which is why it is important in being a part of the community to talk about these issues.

James Baldwin, one of the greatest American writers, wrote in his infamous “The Creative Process” piece that “a society must assume that it is stable, but the artist must know, and he must let us know, that there is nothing stable under heaven.” The responsibility of an artist, to me, is the same responsibility of an activist; we must be honest with ourselves about the conditions in which we live in order to change them.  Because if not us, then who? And if not now, when?