The purpose of this piece was to write a personal poem and a poem based on Myles Horton, a Civil Rights leader that I had to research, who faced segregation from 50 to 60 years ago. I chose this piece because it’s so interesting that anyone can change the future, we just don’t know how. The similar thing between the two poems I wrote is that both Myles Horton & I faced segregation and we both have a similar way of writing. In this poem, I learned that, if you wish something, you have to try hard to achieve it.
Myles Horton Freedom Song.
My name is Myles Horton. Most people know who I am.
I was born in July 5, 1905, in Savannah, Tennessee. I decided to go to Cumberland College in Tennessee to learn how to see people equal.
To go to college made me see a bright future, where all people have the same opportunities.
Where there is no segregation.
I worked hard to teach bible school classes to poor mountain people in Tennessee, but I learned something that wasn’t in my dream.
Before starting my own school, I decided to go to the University of Chicago, where I came up with the idea of starting a school.
I decided to open an “open to discussion school”, the Highlander Folk School, in the South.
In my school, I taught leadership skills to blacks & whites in challenge of segregation laws, which made my dream come true.
I always wanted this moment to happen and it finally became true.
I taught thousands of blacks and whites to challenge entrenched social, economic and political tightness of a segregated society.
I couldn’t give up, no matter what people said or did.
This was the only hope I had in my dream to come true and even though my dream was going to fail, at least I put the white and the black in the same metaphor.
As I taught classes, students learned a lot and they made many famous speeches, for instance, ” I have a dream”, which I am most proud of.
Most people are proud of me and my students who attended my school.
I thought it was hard to some of my students to read, but they showed me how hard they worked.
I felt bad when they closed my school in 1960, but my students had an opportunity to make their speeches.
I didn’t give up, because I had hope on my students and I waited till people protested, so the school could start again.
Finally, my school will be mixed and all people will have the same opportunities .
They will be treated equally and I promise my dream will be the thing I am proud of.
I can’t see the future, but I can feel it.
“God bless America”.
My Own Freedom Song.
My name is LN. I am also known as Mr. Connections, Mr. L, Lele, and “interesting”.
I was born in September 30, 1995, in Kaseke, Congo.
I decided to go to GCE High School to learn global culture and to have a bright future.
Going to GCE makes me feel like at home and protected.
Somehow, the school I was about to go to had some problems with violence.
All my life, I had been through tough times and I finally found a place to have peace.
When I was about eight years old, I realized that my country, Burundi, still has some kind of racism.
I believe there is racism still going on in some places.
From my country we have two “separation tribes”, Tutsi and Hutu.
They had a war against each other and many lives were lost, what made me feel uncomfortable.
My grandpa is a Hutu, so was my grandma, but playing with Tutsi didn’t bother me at all.
One day, I thought about how could I change the way the two tribes treated each other, but I couldn’t do anything because I was a child.
Now I am thinking about changing the way people treat each other in my country.
If I have the courage to change the way Burundians treat each other, I would be proud of my Self.
I feel like I will be a “connector” some day in the future and change this situation.
Someday, people won’t think about races, ethnic groups and religions — I am sure of it.
When I think of ‘sarvodaya’ I think of people treated equally with the same opportunities.
I hope I can change the segregation around the world.
I have faith in people who believe what they believe in.
“God bless you all”.