My name is Prennis Powell from Oakland, California, and this poem I wrote is entitled

Being a Black Man in America.

Being a Black man in America means being my brother's keeper. Being a Black man in America means being my brother's keeper.

Being a black man in America means being my brother's keeper while keeping a distance from my brother because I don't trust him further than I can see him. It's believing the cops don't care about you. It's learning how not to doubt

yourself because when you're born everyone else already does. It's the love you have for your mother

regardless of her flaws in dealing with your daddy issues so your son doesn't have to.

Being a black man in America is a gift.

A blessing.

A blessing God chose for me to receive because he believes I can handle it.

It's also a gamble. It's knowing every time you step outside the world

is a poker table and whether you like it or not your chips are all in. It is the grin you put on

your face every time you feel pain just to let the world know they will not break you.

Right after dropping down to your knees praying to God asking them to heal you because

the pressure has gotten way too real so you pop 30 pills but it still doesn't

kill you but what will is something as simple

as going to the corner store without your pistol that's tucked under your mother's floorboard.

Or what will is not detaching yourself from your best friend's dangerous lifestyle because you know your loyalty won't let you.

Because you know had he not been around when that incident went down you may not be here right now.

Being a black man in America is Prennis Powell knowing I could have easily been Mike Brown.

Hands up in the air, screaming don't shoot, six bullets in your body, face down on the ground.

It is to spend your days, Conti Final Prime waves of getting a fair swing at this game without having

the umpire tell you you out before you even step to the plate.

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