They say this isn't America(Excerpt) Nombeko & Haymer Jennifer Sgroe, Soprano & Eric Sedgwick, Piano

PREMIERE
They say this isn't America (Excerpt)
Nailah Nombeko, Composer
Alicia Haymer, Poet
Premiered Live on Program One: From Isolation to Inspiration
PROJECT 2020: A View of 21st C. Women Composers
Commissioned by the PROJECT 2020 Commission Initiative
www.jennifersgroe.com/project-2020
I'm an Ame􏰀rican, li􏰁ving in 􏰂the land of t􏰂he f􏰀ree.
But􏰃􏰂 w􏰄hen I look a􏰂 her􏰀 hist􏰅􏰂ory􏰀􏰆, has􏰅 I􏰂t only􏰆 been fr􏰀eedom fo􏰀r me?
Many􏰆 days􏰆􏰅 w􏰄hen I 􏰄wake t􏰂her􏰀e's􏰇􏰅 ano􏰂her a􏰂􏰀troci􏰂ty,
I􏰂t e􏰈xha􏰃􏰅􏰂􏰅usts me.
I 􏰄wonder􏰀,
What􏰂 can I do? Who can I be?
I can't􏰇􏰂 be afraid􏰀 􏰂to s􏰅ay􏰆 t􏰂he 􏰄wr􏰀ong t􏰂hing.
What if I stu􏰅􏰂􏰃mble ov􏰁er􏰀 m􏰆y wo􏰄r􏰀ds􏰅?
Even though I'􏰇m scared, I can't􏰇􏰂 be inact􏰂iv􏰁e and just􏰃􏰅􏰂 obser􏰅ve.
They say 􏰅t􏰂hi􏰅s is not Ame􏰀rica,
􏰂Not the one I know􏰄.
But􏰃􏰂 don't􏰇􏰂 for􏰀get􏰂 The Civ􏰁il War􏰀,
Slave􏰁ry􏰆, and Jim Cr􏰀ow􏰄.
Ther􏰀e's no grey area in 􏰂this red, white and blue
We can do be􏰂tter􏰀, b􏰃ut􏰂 􏰄we have􏰁 to choos􏰅e.
While 􏰄wor􏰀king t􏰂o be an all􏰆y,
It weighs on me􏰂.
No amount􏰃􏰂 of 􏰄wor􏰀k w􏰄ill ev􏰁er􏰀 infor􏰀m me
No amo􏰃unt􏰂 of r􏰀es􏰅ea􏰀rch w􏰄ill help me kno􏰄w
The depth􏰅 of w􏰄hat􏰂 t􏰂his􏰅 hat􏰂e feels􏰅 like.
No eq􏰃uality􏰂􏰆. Al􏰄wa􏰆ys􏰅 a s􏰅light􏰂.
Treated with callousness.
Yet still get up with fortitude to work for the American dream.
This is us, America.
But not who we have to remain.
What will it take to realize the value of human life?
We can do better.
I'm an American, working towards the land of the free.
Work with me.
Can one person change the world?
Maybe.
It's easier if it's we.
---Alicia Haymer, 2022