I remember August 9, 2014, very well. I was home from college for the summer – my first break after declaring my major in sociology. I was a wide-eyed 20 –year–old, armed with the knowledge of systemic racism gifted to me by public university professors. I knew the terminology, and the theory, and had seen photos of “oppression.” I listened to protest music from Billie Holiday to Public Enemy. I watched documentaries. However, my professors couldn’t prepare me to deal with my family’s strong denial of the existence of oppression. I wrote Kindled in Ferguson to address what I should have said in 2014. The words finally came to me 10 years later. We can no longer hide behind the privilege we were bestowed. We must speak out.
Kindled in Ferguson
In the smoke of ten swift years gone by,
I look back with a searching eye.
To Ferguson’s streets, where flames rose,
Truths unfold, stark and close.
Once so young, whiteness blinding my view,
Sheltered from reality, old and new.
Unable to deny my blue eyes, pale skin
The lies I was told by my racist kin.
I tried to speak, but my voice fell silent.
The bodies of your people, acts so violent.
A country’s pain, etched in my mind,
Injustices stark, no longer confined.
Voices rising, demands for change,
The same fruit, still so strange.
Faces of anguish, faces of might,
In Ferguson’s struggle, a fight for right.
I grappled with privilege, stark and clear,
Learning to listen, shedding my fear.
The years now past, lessons abide,
In Ferguson’s uprising, truths collide.
For the road ahead, I carry the flame,
Kindled in Ferguson, never the same.
About 10 Years Later: Reflections on the Ferguson Uprising
To create our series, “10 Years Later: Reflections from the Ferguson Uprising,” we invited our staff to share their reflections and document their journeys following this pivotal event. The Ferguson Uprising not only reverberated through St. Louis but also sparked crucial work across the nation to address inequities. With the 10th anniversary of the uprising, we encourage readers to delve into these personal stories and think about their own experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of the ongoing journey toward health equity and social justice.
