Newark, NJ on the Rise

Mural by Malik

Whitaker-Hardaway


Newark, NJ on the rise

A silent silhouette against the sky

Daring to ascend from the ashes of

Racism

Political opportunism

Violence  

And economic uncertainty

Presently soaring in a restorative reality

in search of a promising prosperity

Newark, NJ on the rise

A silent silhouette against the sky

Whitney Houston

Sarah Vaughn

The voices of a multitude of angels sing on...

Soothing the hearts of the people

Bebop-ing through despair

Bending the flat five into thoughts that care

Scatting hope into the air

Newark, NJ on the rise

A silent silhouette against the sky

Amiri Baraka writer extraordinaire

Dared to defy the establishment

And now a new torch of hope burns bright
Shining light on New Jersey's largest city
Demonstrations...collaborations...unity...prayer
Prayer for Newark and Newark's new mayor...
The honorable Ras Baraka

Newark, NJ on the rise

A silent silhouette against the sky

Urban hot spot shouts
Stop the school to prison pipeline
Stop the decimation of public education

Youthful voices

Heads held high...proclaim to the sky

That justice will prevail

The people will not fail

Newark, NJ on the rise

A silent silhouette against the sky

Community activism fires up complacency

Calling for all to stand up in  solidarity

To confront social issues to push for that breakthrough
To have freedom in the new millennium
Freedom from mass incarceration…

Freedom from self annihilation

Freedom from bullets of bigotry

Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky

Newark's artistic legacy trumpets self determination...

Kuchichagulia!..Singing...swinging
Dancing...prancing...painting across the horizon
We will not die but but live
To sound the call to all…

The call for liberation…the call for the emancipation

Of the many beautiful minds currently suspended in time.

Newark, NJ on the rise

Newark, NJ on the rise
Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky