Porsha Olayiwola - Rekia Boyd

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Porsha Olayiwola, performing at NPS 2015 in Oakland, CA.
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Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.
We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.

[@AmirKhadar]

The book "all blacks are men, and all women are white" correlates so well to this. This is so meaningful

[@echoscott9488]

"America puts out a hastag instead of a search party"

[@witchsistah]

+Byun Baby Dude, BOOM.

[@aminata8320]

스캇크리스탈 that line 😭

[@SummerhillSTUDIOesl]

Last night, no one showed up to march for Rekia Boyd Rekia was shot dead in the head by cops in Chicago on Monday A Cook County judge acquitted police of killing Rekia, Dante Servin, charged of manslaughter, went jailbird free. Rekia Boyd was a 22-year-old unarmed black woman living on the south side of Chicago, and last night, no one showed up to march at her rally I guess all the protesters got tied up I guess all the black folks were busy making signs saying, “Stop killing our black boys.” I guess no one hears the howling of a black girl ghost in the nighttime We stay unheard. Blotted out Buried Dead Black girls receive tombstones too soon, and never any flowers to dress the grave, so we fight alone. They will tell you the woes of a black man who got beat by police in the street Beat by the man at work Beat by the system at the institution But never of a black woman he took his frustration out on Never of the black girl he stretched into a casket They will tell you of the brown boys who get pushed from school through pipeline to prison, but never of the girls who feel the sales Never of the orange jumpsuits they camouflage into 200 black girls go missing in Nigeria and America puts out a hashtag instead of a search party No one ever causes a riot, the first black first lady is being called the first ape on all of the media outlets and no one is outraged There ain’t no boycott or nothing. Down the street a man did a hate speech to a black butch woman and someone gave it a 10 Someone said it was freedom Poets are still over there cheering I guess queer black woman ain’t black enough I guess the movement ain’t meant to be a crossroad I guess we are here for play, for make-believe, pretend Poof! How magic trick missing must I become? How tight does my noose have to ring? How long does my body need to deteriorate before anyone can smell it rot? If a black boy gets shot by the cops, isn’t that a tragedy? Ain’t it the blues? Isn’t it a misfortune if a black girl gets killed by police and the killer goes free? Does anyone notice? Do you still call it a lynching? Is her rally just a rehearsal? Ain’t that why no one ever shows up?

[@kyramckenzie7556]

Thx you

[@sandrambah123]

Summerhill STUDIO h

[@newbooksmell4163]

Everytime I click on a video with her in it I'm always astounded by her passion.

[@adv0kitty]

There's oppression within oppression and it's so tragic. Thank you, Porsha, for writing about this.

[@Shamsshamsssss]

"she gets no flowers at the grave, so she fights alone"

[@bakaiggy]

Holy shit, she gave me chills.

[@MrSynhair]

Goose bumps galore!

[@nkemani8372]

I have never liked peotry then I heard of slam poetry and it captured every thing I felt and put it into a beautiful verse. then I heard of porsha and damn did she touch my heart with every word she said.

[@jaig.3425]

"Is her rally just a rehearsal?" I love this woman. I rarely comment on videos but I had to on this.

[@katiekawaii]

Fuck yes. Another unarmed black woman was shot here in LA. The cops said she matched the description of a robbery suspect. (What was the description, "black female"?) I kept waiting for the outrage. I haven't heard it mentioned since that day it happened.

[@kekelangston4363]

+katie kawaii Sadly, some police use their job to act out their kkk ideologies.

[@SamuraiShizuo]

I come back here after 5 years and it's sadly still just as relevant...

[@ItsMoMoneyyy]

she said “no one hears the howling of a black girls ghost” mmmmmm ! that line right there boyyyy ! wowwwwww

[@VariousIndulgences]

Porsha is such an amazing poet

[@aubrey5993]

This still rings true

[@emmaneale3205]

This is amazing. Goosebumps from start to finish.

[@mistykitteh2443]

I listen to this porsha O. poems a lot. Hearing about violence against people who look similiar to me, gets me really depressed for so many many reasons but listening to her. Knowing someone elses feels the pain and frustration gives me strength to walk out the door. She is such a beautiful women.

[@roneymcintyrejr9714]

Out fucking standing

[@uzhiekarose6018]

5 mins later. buzzing with goosebumps. this black girl felt this.

[@bak3456]

this wass pure fireee!!! 'Aint that a tragedy'....

[@livelifeloso]

this hit me somewhere deep

[@nodz007]

Wow! Amazing Poem.

[@ms.mommie6985]

Wow I got chills from this!!

[@TheMscookie82]

I am astounded of her talent and her passion. She leaves me speechless.

[@tyrajohnson439]

I SAW THIS LIVE AND HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS TO BE POSTED YESSSSSSSSSSSS

[@jamirx9]

i'm speechless. thank you

[@InuMiroLover]

AMEN SISTER! AMEN!

[@zyzy2298]

She’s the TRUTH ! something like today with Breonna’s killing 😩

[@yorkbnice]

This poem is so important!! Bless

[@franklinamoo]

Powerful and absolute truth.

[@melissastinchcombe7525]

I could honestly listen to you speak all day, You are so beautiful

[@tamiya384]

This poet ❤.. made me realize how little black girls look in this small minded world. The constant backlash for the things we do but not enough protecting of our black women. The fear that most black girls carry about being judged, not seen or being heard comes from how the world treats us, including our own men in our own community but they aint prepared enough for that conversation.

[@thekaerichtexas]

my fav poet. porsha is amazing

[@k7979-p6z]

tears, amen my sister

[@Ebon_Sean]

The end lines tho. It hurt my soul to hear.

[@241Genevieve]

Beautiful poem

[@lehi_v]

Absolutely incredible!

[@account6504]

My God, what am I witnessing!?

[@mirandat8527]

my favorite slam poem to date

[@sierrahealey4500]

Beautiful

[@lucidemuro8006]

this is so important

[@ChastityJaye]

Still relevant. #RIPBreonnaTaylor ❤️

[@tiffneedsluv]

wow! gave me goosebumps

[@sadistic_ix9674]

Yo she served and we ATE

[@rachels7976]

This is absolutely fucking amazing. Chills.

[@rodettegross1598]

PREACH!!

[@BreakSkateSoccer]

still relevant tday

[@spongemariam]

I really want to meet her

[@shael7642]

Chills

[@ravishingrookrude]

Well, Sandra Bland.

[@Gypsyqueen246]

say her name all their names our sisters need to be represented

[@jeanne-mariepocock2404]

Amazingg

[@mrstayup36s]

Rekia Boyd, Ashe

[@lovelydelrey]

SAY HER NAME

[@constancestrickland8758]

power

[@ChelleakaCC]

This.

[@sheesha8299]

Yooooooo

[@kyramckenzie7556]

❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@OFAGODFACE]

one of my favourite poets. LOVED IT!

[@paulinazelikowicz9122]

"How long does my need to deteriorate before anyone can smell it rot?"

[@stah841]

Damn

[@codysouroy3227]

Just heard this poem at a black girl dance recital. The teenagers danced to the this. I had to search it up. That case was so wrong. How is he free?!

[@datruthbelow]

I was actually at her rally............. 🐸 ☕

[@kairoland3116]

+Mine Dafiaghor Yay so you get a cookie, or a gold star, or better yet the key to the city. You want an award for having empathy, for being human. You want a parade for being selfless right? For what? Understanding that a black murder no matter the gender deserves rallying over. I don't understand why you have those specific emojis as if you need to clarify or defend your humanity. Obviously its not about you. Its about the people who rally for the black boys and never their counterpart.

[@justshady]

+kai roland people need to stop rallying for the people killed but against the people who do the killing, it's not a popularity contest of who gets the most people to rally after being shot unjustly

[@Nassit-Gnuoy]

Amazing poem