Poetry Inspired by the Bin Kinship Assembly – “Revolution” by Cindy Acona
The 2014 BIN Kinship Assembly featured a special dialogue and performances by three Afro-latino poets, Anthony Polanco, Robert Oriyamaat,and Cindy Acona, discussing the importance of arts and cultural expression in movement building, and the experiences of movement artists. One of the poets, Cindy Acona, was inspired by the work of BIN and her experience at the Kinship Assembly to create this piece and share it during their performance.
Revolution – by Cindy Acona
Revolution
has been commercialized so much
That our youth have no clue
what it is about
Ignorant in the ways of conflict resolution
thinking war is the only conclusion
furthering political affiliations
Welcome
to the American broken system
Where unity is discouraged
Financial segregation as subtle
As a hurricane in season
So my question
How do we really go about bringing change?
How do we surpass the obstacles put in place
In order to watch our downfall?
How do we become that village again
That raises our children?
Conferences like B.I.N.
Needs to be held globally more often
but why isn’t it?
Its simple, their response
There’s no profit in solutions
It seems as though if I have no monetary backing
My plights go unheard
My fight unseen
Snuffed out by media black outs
As police states drown out cries
silencing our leaders
by any means necessary
dumb down children in order to perpetuate
imprisoned slave system
keep the revolving door of escapism rotating
rehabilitation never actualize
for privatized stock options
if my name isn’t Chad, Chet, Amanda or Tiffany
I’m profiled to be arrested
No matter how much of good Citizen I may seem to be
my skin has become the determination factor
of my freedom
brown paper bag theory in full effect
We have unfamiliar pale faces
Invading once occupied spaces of the un-free
Migration of a culture
Escaping gentrified purity
Now seeming too equitable,
A mockery of suffering
As ethnicity becomes a commodity
Something to admire, acquire
& become
but with less flavor, for a more sensitive gluten free tongue
Long vowels replace native tongues
Habitats become unaffordable
Once inhabitants, now paying tourists
for their former homes
Pushed out economically
To make way for the financially stable
Upkeep is easier with them out of the way
Things look prettier now that the poor are gone
epitome of gentrification
Audacity made fun of by new comers
“If they really wanted this place, then why keep it so rundown?”
As though the 99% can provide for the one
This beautiful melting pot has become
A place where financial segregation
Has feigned it’s way into forced integration
So how do we move forward on a chess board
Filled with pawns protecting the hierarchy?
Answer:
If we don’t feed the predators,
eventually they become the prey
Cindy Peralta better known as Black Angel with parents of Dominican decent, this Queens resident Afro-Latina has been hard at work writing poetry since the age of 13 and never looked back. While in H.S. her poems were published in the weekly paper as part of the Literary Arts section. Now at the age of 32, She has performed at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Bar 13, Culture Shock at the Sutra Lounge, Latino Cultural Festival at Flushing Hall of Science as well as several colleges including LaGuardia Community College to which she’s an Alum. Also, as a motivational poet, she has performed at prison facilities including Eastern Correctional Facility and Riker’s Island. Contact Cindy at www.facebook.com/blackangelthepoet or Blackangelthepoet@gmail.com.