(SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE)
Look: we gotta have a conversation, talk it out
When it’s time for visibility gotta get out the house
And when it’s time to make a move we gotta walk it out
When the people at the top talk slop we pull the bottom out
What are you all about? Go ‘head and shout it out
See something, say something, go ahead and call it out
Before we didn’t know we weren’t alone we’re all around
If you believe the time is now, take a solemn vow
Learn, support, share, report
Build rapport, educate the poor
Voice can be directed flow like traffic signs from out the mouth
Toxins fallin’ out from back of truck you gotta stop reroute
Can’t push it forward give it gas and send it on the town
Holla loud what’s not allowed by concert crowds get on ‘em now
Learn, teach, build, connect
Challenge, question, think, dissent

Once you see it doesn’t have to see
You’re either givin’ into apathy
Or livin’ in a fantasy
You go ahead now…


(Guante):
and we ask ourselves: whose voices are valued
we ask ourselves- whose perspectives are accepted
we ask ourselves- who is given the benefit of the doubt
in a country where your money’s the measurement of your clout
and your skin color and gender identity are policed
often by the actual police! we ask ourselves
is there a sentence that’s suitable
when this prison culture itself is so cruel and unusual
not to mention ineffective
not to mention racist homophobic transphobic and sexist
not to mention whatever I forgot to mention
the new dimensions to the system they don’t wanna mention
so let’s mention it let’s make noise it’s
a family reunion in the union of our voices
and if you didn’t know this family’s loud
so let’s bring every wall on this planet down, and go ahead now

Once you see it doesn’t have to see
You’re either givin’ into apathy
Or livin’ in a fantasy
You go ahead now…

(Guante):
I’m not racist but…
is usually how racist people start sayin’ racist stuff
and self-proclaimed allies get side-eyed
‘cause the same idea still relates to us
and look: I got no advice to give
no wisdom to share, no answers to be laid bare
just my experience, my fear and perseverance
all my insecurities and every value I believe in
like, whether poison berries, wildflowers or crops
everyone plants seeds whether they know it or not
so I’m just tryin’ to look out at my garden
and be more intentional about the life I wanna harvest
and as always, that is not enough
it’s a start, but a match in the dark is not the sun
and tears of guilt, tears of realization, either way
they are no substitute for rain
you don’t beat racism by bein’ a better person
you beat it by destroyin’ the system that undergirds it
this decision to see past the surface
is not the last step it’s the first it’s a trade of
all my good intentions for a patch of wet earth
‘cause it always comes down to the work
and maybe we are all lost, all imperfect and unworthy
but we can all get our hands dirty
...so go ahead now