@@zeusincoming282 i’m half black and got pulled over once for going slightly over the speed limit because i was nearly late for class. the officer asks me to get out of the car, asks if i have a weapon, makes me stand behind the car and told me not to move an inch while he checks my license and registration in his. i had to stand there for over 10 minutes unmoving, afraid. stop acting like just because you haven’t been in the situation that it doesn’t happen to black people, you’ve gotta be foolish to think it doesn’t.
@@RejectedHumanity Im sure it does. Just like the acts of a few bad cops put all other cops in a bad light, The acts of a lot of a few of our black bretheren put all of us blacks in a bad light. People Generalize, that is just how it is.
I was crying as soon as he got to "the uncertainty in my voice. He learns that uncle is willing to lie to him, that I am more human than hero." It hits so hard.
it doesn't matter if you're black, white, muslim, a girl, a guy...if you have a fucking heart and some damn feeling this poem will hit your sensitive spot hard.
"Getting ready for a war, i can't prepare him for" My heart has never broken this much before. Thank you for sharing your storyJavon. I can only hope our next generation can save this world from all this hate from the generations before them.
+jade glass Don't bother trying. He's trolling. He's responded similarly to a lot of comments. He's implying that the guy in the video is exaggerating and/or lying.
william waddell Ah. And how long have you been a Black male? What's that? What's that you say? You're not a Black male? Then what the fuck would you know about their reality?
If you're not Black, and you've never been black, how delusional do you have to be to believe, even for a second, that you can fully grasp the black experience? Or even understand enough of it to speak on it with any sort of authority? That's as idiotic as a man telling a mother about the realities of childbirth. You can't fathom how pretentious you sound right now...
+XxxMuseluverxxX Nah we won't cause we ignore the fact that he was a criminal. It's all good though the rest of this world is blind to people's actions. That open carry excuse is over played in an open carry case your suppose to.... 1.) Not be a felon. (Which he was) 2.) If you are open carrying you must have it COMPLETELY exposed for all to see (other than it being holstered). So why was a felon hiding a weapon in an open carry state without a permit and reaching for it when the cops had him on the ground? Let's ignore the law breaking he continued to do.
Its not systematic,, its individual belief systems,,,, You cant just flip a switch and erase every non black persons experiences,, perceptions and fears with blacks... Actually, at this point, we as blacks have to act on individual levels and prove that we ARE INFACT, INDIVIDUALS and that just because a hand ful of us fucks up, doesnt mean we ALL are fuck ups! We need to use more Diplomacy measures and less intimidation measures.......The bible says "I draw thee with Love and Kindness",, Yet, blacks seem to want to threat and intimidate whites into loving them. You get what you put out!
"It scares me to know, that he, like so many other black boys, is getting ready for a war I can't prepare him for." Seeing his emotion come through and how painfully honest his words are makes me so emotional, no matter how many times I've watched and listened to this.
It takes 2 wrong people to have a fight,, it takes 2 wrong people to argue, and it takes 2 wrong sides to have a War. one side has to be the better to advert conflict, and clearly, blacks arent prepared neither willing to be the better side.
Im black and me and my family went to a toy store. Me and my siblings are close so we play games with each other. We went and saw toy guns so we asked our parents if we could buy them and play war back at the house. They said no and told me I had to tell them why ( I'm the oldest. ) I said to them " We can't play because if anybody sees us they might shot us. " The disappointment I saw in their eyes broke my heart. And my parents they gave me a look. A look that explained everything. Being black in America, is a crime.
I know that feeling. My brother loved nerf guns and my mom would buy him a new one every Christmas then one year she didn't and I'm sure you could imagine the disappointment, the sadness, and confusion in his eyes when my older sister explained it to him. It sucks because we're not even allowed to be children we're forced to grow and fight this war. It's hurts so much knowing one day my brother may become the next hash tag or my sister will be the forgotten name. God they don't even understand how much it hurts. They can't comprehend the pain and the sorrow. It's hurts so god damn much and I don't know how to make it stop hurting. What do I have to do so my brother doesn't become another hashtag. What do I have to say so he won't be seen as a thug once they've shot him down. What do I have to do to make them see him as the child he is. What have to do so our melanin is not a target. God they don't even understand the pain.
+Abra Cadabra You are honestly dumb as a fucking bag of rocks. I live in a pretty ghetto area, (Memphis to be exact), not only is there absolutely NO racism around my community, and the ghetto folk think ppl like you dumb af xD.
+hellzgamer1 congrats there's no races around... but I'm pretty sure Memphis isn't the ENTIRE usa just because you haven't faced racism or seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist just because you've never seen or felt it doesn't give you the right to put someone else's experience down your saying she dumb for that we'll how is it a little black boy was shot because a cop mistaken it for a gun how is it a boy was shot opening up his front door because a cop mistaken a wii remote for a gun
I'm crying, it's so important to hear black people talk, it is so important for white people to not make opinions on this matter from their own experiences when black peoples experiences are so different. I wish everyone would just fucking listen
The only thing that got me thinking is the Generaliztion of the white race... yes, Racism exist, but not EVery white is racist,, and not every black is non racist.........You have assholes in all walks of life. The bible even said, "The poor shall always be amongst us" be them poor in spirit, poor in finance, or poor in morale! Life has obsticals, and Obsticals can either make us stronger, or cause us to self destruct, and sadly, many blacks are choosing to be bitter and self distruct. There are many predjudices out there, Racism is just one of Many! All of us may find we are in one or more of an Oppressed Catagory!
Real is what you want to believe... The bible says,, WHatever a man beleiveth in his heart, so he is... So if he chooses to be a victim, he will be one! I being a black man do not choose to focus on negativity.......I know that everyone is not going to love me,, not even every black man loves me....But I will live my life ! No violins needed here!
This broke my heart, as a human, that can hear this man's pain. This broke my heart, as a mother, to imagine such fears ever being common for my own son. This broke my heart, wide open, for an amazing performance piece of poetry, thank you for this. It's deep and it shines a light onto a world I've never seen. Thank you for furthering my education.
@@zeusincoming282 Your black talking about black people all throughout the comments like that? Yeah right😂😂 “Black pity party “🤦🏿♀️ You see how we are getting treated,but you would rather not see what is happening. You think that we (black people) are the problem huh? But we are not ,we try to mind our business but we are simply getting killed for just being black.
@@peoplearegross2064 Basically, Im sick of the Image many black men present (Thug image) and still wonder why they arent trusted! Rap isnt helping the Black cause either! We as Black people need to stop being "Gangsta" and start being law abiding Citizens!
@@peoplearegross2064 Yes, Blacks are Getting Killed Just for Being Black.. Crime doesnt exist in the black community! Blacks are always right, and respectful, even with their loud car stereos with Sexist and racist lyrics! Blacks can do no wrong!,, Ok, I told you what you wanted to hear!
I remember being a young white pre-teen girl living in fringe poverty, stopping people on the street to ask them for money after school because I was a little hungry and I knew there wouldn't be a lot of food at home. I remember the old ladies looking at me with concern "oh, you poor thing, here's some change." I remember being a young white girl getting caught stealing candy from the supermarket. I remember the security guard giving me a lopsided smirk and saying "don't do it again" I remember, every time I see a POC kid being stared down with disgust for asking money to help their parents put food on the table. I remember every time I hear people say the government should "clean up" the streets, if you know what I mean (and you do), because some 13 year old boy robbed a store. Don't fucking say it's not about race.
I cry every time I hear this, every time. I have a 17 year old nephew who just got his driver's license, with a set a rules he learned from headlines riddled with black bodies like his, a 13 year old nephew who is the sweetest boy but who has been judged as an angry man, a criminal for his dark skin and for his stature, a 3 year old nephew who is so intelligent, so resolute, so free, that I fear for him most.
6 years later and still nothing has changed ... today it's George Floyd, tommorow who knows ? Might be me ! It's 2020 and we still talking about it y'all We are exploring other planets to find life but yet we don't know how to live together on earth Man this is crazy Sometimes I'm ashamed to be a human being when I see how heartless we can be
This is what poetry is for. I don't share this person's race, gender, or nationality, but for a moment I got to glimpse into what it's like to be him. Amazing.
Im black and never had this problem... Himmmmm..........Maybe there is issues with who he is, and not what he is. ...... Some blacks think that their only flaw is their skin color, and that is not true.
Thank you for this. I am in tears. To all of the fellow white people watching this, I want to acknowledge the topic of "white guilt." As a 17-year-old white female, I feel that guilt as I watch this. If I am caught speeding, all it takes is a "sorry officer" and I'm on my way. I have certain privileges, just because of the skin I was born in. But even though it is good for me to recognize these feelings, I must not stop there. This guilt that you feel should lead you towards action. We need men and women of all races and cultural backgrounds fighting for equality. If someone says a racist comment (a friend, a family member, a stranger), even if it's disguised as a "joke," call them OUT. Be the CHANGE you want to see. In all situations, STAND UP AGAINST RACISM. This movement needs ALL OF US.
You shouldn't feel guilt, it was not your fault what they did. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't let people get away with making racist comments even if it's "just a joke." this is coming from a black female :)
Don't feel guilty. The racist issues in the world are not your fault. You're obviously very educated and took the time to step outside of your comfortable white box, to see exactly what's going on in the world regarding race. You should be proud of yourself, and don't let anyone else try to tell you otherwise. I'm white too
You have nothing to feel guilty about and this is coming from a Black man! You simply recognize that ordinary citizens who were born here are still subject to double standards and not allowed to fully exercise their rights as Americans under the Constitution. IMO, those who yell so loudly for individual rights are the ones that yell even louder about taking them away from others. No disrespect to Laura Berkey, but some Whites/non-Blacks pull the notion of "White Guilt" after openly chastizing Blacks for pulling the "race card". I can't believe they can't see the hypocrisy in it all.
I'm glad that there are white people that acknowledge our reality. I don't blame all white peoples, but I sure appreciate those that stand up for what's right!!
My English teacher showed this to the class and we all just fell silent. None of us were expecting that happy to serious transition. Great video. Showing this to all my friends.
In no way shape or form, I can relate to this. However, his passion, his words, his esence brought me in and made me rethink how i view stories on the news, how I view my african american friends, and how I view this situation all together. This was absolutely breathtaking. So amazing.
so sad how this reality is true. I remember as a kid riding the bus that all the kids would duck down and hide when a police car drove by. This how we played. This was our mentality even back then.
If you dont understand his point in this video dont bother commenting. He's trying to point out how differently black boys are treated and how a caucasian male's parent dont have half as much worries as a black boy's parent does. Please love yourselves and get off.
I will NEVER understand how this video got WAAAYYY over ONE dislike. SMH 500+ of you should be ashamed of your existence! I heard this poem over 6 years ago and at least once a month I come back and listen to it! This poem will always be in my top 3 poems! What this brother is saying is an ever evolving cycle in my life and every black man who looks like me! POWER TO MY PEOPLE!
Since the first time I listened to this, this has been one of the most invigorating and powerful poems I have heard. Javon, your voice makes you more hero than you'll ever know.
I saw this on my tumblr and I had to come search for it! This touched me in so man ways!!! Man you're beyond talented and you're speaking words that people are afraid to touch on!
Oooh I just got the chills. This hurts me, this makes me sad because it is the truth, unfortunately. I have a 3 year-old nephew, he's still at an innocent stage of his life, I don't want him to have to experience any such thing like this in the future.
People are getting mad saying "this happens to everyone, racism happens to everyone" indeed it does happen to everyone, but this poem and this man doing this poem is not the voice of reason to end racism as we know and many tolerate it. He is speaking from personal experience, from how he sees the world. He is not saying it doesn't happen to anyone, he's just saying it happens too often where he's from. So to those of you who are not looking at the bigger picture, try something new. Open your mind.
This was the most powerful video I have watched on here in a long time. I don't know why but in the middle of the video at the climax of the poem... I felt tears running down my face.. The emotion is raw and real.. The story is all too real and relatable
I worry for the little black boys in America so much. I cannot imagine how hard it is for the parents and loved ones to raise their young ones in a world that wants to hurt them.
I'm so sorry, I'm also a 14 year old white girl but with a family that would kick someone's teeth in for suggesting that so I won't pretend to know how hard it is. I suggest befriending him at school and explaining the situation to him so that you can deal with times that you might see your family as you see fit, for his sake as much as yours.
But that is Not ALL White families.. and I have heard Black families say their child cant be friends with a white child.. It goes both ways.....So sick of Drama and double standards !
After watching this almost 4 years ago and coming back to it today, never stop standing with the Black community, speaking up and helping with this continuous fight. Don’t stop saying their names. It sadness me how relevant, painful and true this still is.
I watched this when it first came out, I was sat here, thinking about the recent events, and constants that don’t get air time. 7 or so years later, this still makes me tear up
I gotta younger brother who's just like javons nephew. Asking about everything and just wanting to know everything and it breaks my heart being the oldest(i'm a girl) and knowing that I won't always be able to protect my siblings like I want to and when I want to. When he sees the cops he asks, "Will they hurt me?" then I tell him, "Nah nah they can't hurt you. Don't think like that." After that I feel so bad and it just makes me so sad. I'm tired of this man.
This was so real and meaningful. Respect to this STRONG black man and his family. Nothing more important than the truth, and this was an art in itself.
This, by far, is one of my favorites. And I absolutely must call attention to the fact that this was performed in 2013. It's 2015. And nothing has changed.
WoW This is one of the most powerful and touching and tear jerking and just crazy…poems that I have ever heard/seen….It is sad….how our Black boys are raised…. This touched my heart…seriously.. If we as a people realized the greatness from which we came, we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.
I am a white female from central USA. Even I am edgy around police with all the reports of violence and abuse of power, but I know full-well that my vague semblance of fear is nothing to what this man, his nephew and all the others mentioned will have to face. I am very nearly in tears from this poem. The best I can say is be the change you want to see in law enforcement.
It hurts my heart to know that children are being raised in fear or anger just because their skin is darker than another child in school. Or that they are raised to hate that one white kid in the school that claims is not segregated but hosts mostly black children. It hurts my heart to see the children on the streets afraid to look another in the eye not because they are shy, or being respectful, but because they are afraid that they will see hatred in the other's eyes because of their own skin. And it what hurts most of all is that, even when we try all we can to stop all this hatred, that it still runs rapid in our society because of the ignorance of others because they were raised that way.
I just want to say, 'raised to hate that one white boy'... Doesn't really happened, the problem is is that by the time school age comes, blacks are exposed to so much hate by the white men that, that's what he knows. I mean I was raised with no hate. By first grade a white kid came up to me saying he couldn't be friends bc I was black. (I'm half white and half black) but in the eyes of the white man I'm just black. What do you think that does to a first graders mind?
I've gone through the same thing, and I do say that some people are raised to hate white children. I'm white and I transfered to a new school. There, I was beat with books in the library and know ever talked to me. One kid pushed me down and spat in my eye. I never did anything, I was very shy. And this was in 4th grade
Most white kid are taught at a young age to think that they are better than non-blacks, so when they get to school they say ignorant things and this is why a lot of people hate the white kid.
Regretfully, I prayed my black son and my biracial son both safely into adulthood and beyond for the very reasons Javon expressed so eloquently! I say 'regretfully' because, in the process, I neglected to pray as hard for my sweet daughter's safe passage to adulthood. My biracial daughter who, when asked to fill our forms asking for race designation, would mark 'OTHER' and write in 'human', never made it to her 18th birthday.
"today, y'all, we are doing manly shit."
I was hooked.
Right!
I was done.
You don't have to announce that you're not black to compliment the emotion of this poem
Acdc exactly. ignore ignorance
thanks
right
Exactly 👏🏼👏🏼
BARS
"What happens if the cop is very mean?"
Nothing but feels.
I think i saw you on a savanna brown video hi
Im black and Act Civil, and have never been brutilized by a cop....and Im 50.
@@zeusincoming282 want a cookie?
@@zeusincoming282 i’m half black and got pulled over once for going slightly over the speed limit because i was nearly late for class. the officer asks me to get out of the car, asks if i have a weapon, makes me stand behind the car and told me not to move an inch while he checks my license and registration in his. i had to stand there for over 10 minutes unmoving, afraid. stop acting like just because you haven’t been in the situation that it doesn’t happen to black people, you’ve gotta be foolish to think it doesn’t.
@@RejectedHumanity Im sure it does. Just like the acts of a few bad cops put all other cops in a bad light, The acts of a lot of a few of our black bretheren put all of us blacks in a bad light. People Generalize, that is just how it is.
I was crying as soon as he got to "the uncertainty in my voice. He learns that uncle is willing to lie to him, that I am more human than hero." It hits so hard.
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾😢
When he started crying, I started crying
hope dean... Same here. Damn! That was powerful.
same 😢
same
airbagdeployed Hahahaha honey they're not white tears
same, just cried myself an ocean
it doesn't matter if you're black, white, muslim, a girl, a guy...if you have a fucking heart and some damn feeling this poem will hit your sensitive spot hard.
Casually sobbing. This is brilliant and fucking on point.
Check out my channel i'm a young poet looking for feedback on my poems
I love the fact that this piece starts off humorous then suddenly leads to an important message.
"Getting ready for a war, i can't prepare him for" My heart has never broken this much before. Thank you for sharing your storyJavon. I can only hope our next generation can save this world from all this hate from the generations before them.
+william waddell I don't understand your comment
+jade glass Don't bother trying. He's trolling. He's responded similarly to a lot of comments. He's implying that the guy in the video is exaggerating and/or lying.
william waddell
*sigh* Fuck it. I'll bite. What, pray tell, are you basing your erroneous opinion on?
william waddell
Ah. And how long have you been a Black male?
What's that? What's that you say? You're not a Black male?
Then what the fuck would you know about their reality?
If you're not Black, and you've never been black, how delusional do you have to be to believe, even for a second, that you can fully grasp the black experience? Or even understand enough of it to speak on it with any sort of authority? That's as idiotic as a man telling a mother about the realities of childbirth. You can't fathom how pretentious you sound right now...
"How quickly hand moves to pocket for wallet or ID" 😔 #RIPALTONSTERLING
Should we take a look at that wrap sheet?
+Joshua Sturm Shut tf up. Thanks 👌
Look at this! An actual "piece of shit!" Never engaged with one.
+XxxMuseluverxxX Nah we won't cause we ignore the fact that he was a criminal. It's all good though the rest of this world is blind to people's actions. That open carry excuse is over played in an open carry case your suppose to.... 1.) Not be a felon. (Which he was)
2.) If you are open carrying you must have it COMPLETELY exposed for all to see (other than it being holstered).
So why was a felon hiding a weapon in an open carry state without a permit and reaching for it when the cops had him on the ground? Let's ignore the law breaking he continued to do.
+Joshua Sturm You wrote a goddamn novel to say nothing. Go tf on somewhere.
Coming back to this after the murder of George Floyd. Stand with the black community and fight, not just for justice today, but for systematic change.
✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
Coming back to this after seeing it when I was I was in highschool, it saddens me I thought it's still hold so much relevance
Its not systematic,, its individual belief systems,,,, You cant just flip a switch and erase every non black persons experiences,, perceptions and fears with blacks... Actually, at this point, we as blacks have to act on individual levels and prove that we ARE INFACT, INDIVIDUALS and that just because a hand ful of us fucks up, doesnt mean we ALL are fuck ups! We need to use more Diplomacy measures and less intimidation measures.......The bible says "I draw thee with Love and Kindness",, Yet, blacks seem to want to threat and intimidate whites into loving them. You get what you put out!
"It scares me to know, that he, like so many other black boys, is getting ready for a war I can't prepare him for."
Seeing his emotion come through and how painfully honest his words are makes me so emotional, no matter how many times I've watched and listened to this.
And still rings true to this day. Man what a world we are living in.
It takes 2 wrong people to have a fight,, it takes 2 wrong people to argue, and it takes 2 wrong sides to have a War. one side has to be the better to advert conflict, and clearly, blacks arent prepared neither willing to be the better side.
Im black and me and my family went to a toy store. Me and my siblings are close so we play games with each other. We went and saw toy guns so we asked our parents if we could buy them and play war back at the house. They said no and told me I had to tell them why ( I'm the oldest. ) I said to them " We can't play because if anybody sees us they might shot us. " The disappointment I saw in their eyes broke my heart. And my parents they gave me a look. A look that explained everything. Being black in America, is a crime.
wow.
I know that feeling. My brother loved nerf guns and my mom would buy him a new one every Christmas then one year she didn't and I'm sure you could imagine the disappointment, the sadness, and confusion in his eyes when my older sister explained it to him. It sucks because we're not even allowed to be children we're forced to grow and fight this war. It's hurts so much knowing one day my brother may become the next hash tag or my sister will be the forgotten name. God they don't even understand how much it hurts. They can't comprehend the pain and the sorrow. It's hurts so god damn much and I don't know how to make it stop hurting. What do I have to do so my brother doesn't become another hashtag. What do I have to say so he won't be seen as a thug once they've shot him down. What do I have to do to make them see him as the child he is. What have to do so our melanin is not a target. God they don't even understand the pain.
I'm sorry I sort ranted. Also your comment was posted in my birthday.
+Abra Cadabra You are honestly dumb as a fucking bag of rocks. I live in a pretty ghetto area, (Memphis to be exact), not only is there absolutely NO racism around my community, and the ghetto folk think ppl like you dumb af xD.
+hellzgamer1 congrats there's no races around... but I'm pretty sure Memphis isn't the ENTIRE usa just because you haven't faced racism or seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist just because you've never seen or felt it doesn't give you the right to put someone else's experience down your saying she dumb for that we'll how is it a little black boy was shot because a cop mistaken it for a gun how is it a boy was shot opening up his front door because a cop mistaken a wii remote for a gun
I'm crying, it's so important to hear black people talk, it is so important for white people to not make opinions on this matter from their own experiences when black peoples experiences are so different. I wish everyone would just fucking listen
wow ily
bigot
YESYESYES!!!
YESYESYES!!!
You are so right on young lady
This has to be the realest thing I have ever heard... this shook me to my bones hearing him. Unbelievable.
The only thing that got me thinking is the Generaliztion of the white race... yes, Racism exist, but not EVery white is racist,, and not every black is non racist.........You have assholes in all walks of life. The bible even said, "The poor shall always be amongst us" be them poor in spirit, poor in finance, or poor in morale! Life has obsticals, and Obsticals can either make us stronger, or cause us to self destruct, and sadly, many blacks are choosing to be bitter and self distruct. There are many predjudices out there, Racism is just one of Many! All of us may find we are in one or more of an Oppressed Catagory!
Real is what you want to believe... The bible says,, WHatever a man beleiveth in his heart, so he is... So if he chooses to be a victim, he will be one! I being a black man do not choose to focus on negativity.......I know that everyone is not going to love me,, not even every black man loves me....But I will live my life ! No violins needed here!
the fact that that his voice cracks and is on the edge of tears makes me want to cry, his voice is so powerful and ugh I just loved it
l-/
|-/
This broke my heart, as a human, that can hear this man's pain.
This broke my heart, as a mother, to imagine such fears ever being common for my own son.
This broke my heart, wide open, for an amazing performance piece of poetry, thank you for this. It's deep and it shines a light onto a world I've never seen. Thank you for furthering my education.
I saw him perform this live nearby where I live and I actually got to meet him. Very intelligent man.
6 years ago. It's heartbreaking that this could have been posted today. When will it end ?
Im black and Even I am so sick of the Black Pity Party....... I need to learn how to play the Violin!
@@zeusincoming282 Your black talking about black people all throughout the comments like that? Yeah right😂😂 “Black pity party “🤦🏿♀️ You see how we are getting treated,but you would rather not see what is happening. You think that we (black people) are the problem huh? But we are not ,we try to mind our business but we are simply getting killed for just being black.
@@peoplearegross2064 Basically, Im sick of the Image many black men present (Thug image) and still wonder why they arent trusted! Rap isnt helping the Black cause either! We as Black people need to stop being "Gangsta" and start being law abiding Citizens!
@@peoplearegross2064 Yes, Blacks are Getting Killed Just for Being Black.. Crime doesnt exist in the black community! Blacks are always right, and respectful, even with their loud car stereos with Sexist and racist lyrics! Blacks can do no wrong!,, Ok, I told you what you wanted to hear!
I'm rarely moved by anything, but I had tears down my face by the end of this.
I remember being a young white pre-teen girl living in fringe poverty, stopping people on the street to ask them for money after school because I was a little hungry and I knew there wouldn't be a lot of food at home. I remember the old ladies looking at me with concern "oh, you poor thing, here's some change." I remember being a young white girl getting caught stealing candy from the supermarket. I remember the security guard giving me a lopsided smirk and saying "don't do it again" I remember, every time I see a POC kid being stared down with disgust for asking money to help their parents put food on the table. I remember every time I hear people say the government should "clean up" the streets, if you know what I mean (and you do), because some 13 year old boy robbed a store. Don't fucking say it's not about race.
I cry every time I hear this, every time. I have a 17 year old nephew who just got his driver's license, with a set a rules he learned from headlines riddled with black bodies like his, a 13 year old nephew who is the sweetest boy but who has been judged as an angry man, a criminal for his dark skin and for his stature, a 3 year old nephew who is so intelligent, so resolute, so free, that I fear for him most.
+
6 years later and still nothing has changed ... today it's George Floyd, tommorow who knows ? Might be me !
It's 2020 and we still talking about it y'all
We are exploring other planets to find life but yet we don't know how to live together on earth
Man this is crazy
Sometimes I'm ashamed to be a human being when I see how heartless we can be
😢😢😢
As a white person, in another country, in a fairly well off socio-economic suburb. This brought me to fucking tears. Well done sir.
This is what poetry is for. I don't share this person's race, gender, or nationality, but for a moment I got to glimpse into what it's like to be him. Amazing.
Im black and never had this problem... Himmmmm..........Maybe there is issues with who he is, and not what he is. ...... Some blacks think that their only flaw is their skin color, and that is not true.
What it’s like to be a black male from birth… it’s terrifying in many situations. Forget what this clown above me says…
Words can't describe what I feel after watching this video. Truly amazing!
PS: 181 cops disliked this video.
181... Why don't they just choke on their starbucks latte crappachinos? D:
I'm not black and I don't know this struggle and oppression and hurt but this killed me. I balling my eyes out by the end. this is so important
....what....i don't even....excuse me while i go get a bucket for these tears...
Thank you for this. I am in tears. To all of the fellow white people watching this, I want to acknowledge the topic of "white guilt." As a 17-year-old white female, I feel that guilt as I watch this. If I am caught speeding, all it takes is a "sorry officer" and I'm on my way. I have certain privileges, just because of the skin I was born in. But even though it is good for me to recognize these feelings, I must not stop there. This guilt that you feel should lead you towards action. We need men and women of all races and cultural backgrounds fighting for equality. If someone says a racist comment (a friend, a family member, a stranger), even if it's disguised as a "joke," call them OUT. Be the CHANGE you want to see. In all situations, STAND UP AGAINST RACISM. This movement needs ALL OF US.
You shouldn't feel guilt, it was not your fault what they did. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't let people get away with making racist comments even if it's "just a joke." this is coming from a black female :)
Don't feel guilty. The racist issues in the world are not your fault. You're obviously very educated and took the time to step outside of your comfortable white box, to see exactly what's going on in the world regarding race. You should be proud of yourself, and don't let anyone else try to tell you otherwise. I'm white too
You have nothing to feel guilty about and this is coming from a Black man! You simply recognize that ordinary citizens who were born here are still subject to double standards and not allowed to fully exercise their rights as Americans under the Constitution. IMO, those who yell so loudly for individual rights are the ones that yell even louder about taking them away from others. No disrespect to Laura Berkey, but some Whites/non-Blacks pull the notion of "White Guilt" after openly chastizing Blacks for pulling the "race card". I can't believe they can't see the hypocrisy in it all.
I'm glad that there are white people that acknowledge our reality. I don't blame all white peoples, but I sure appreciate those that stand up for what's right!!
No. White guilt is a movement for cowards. It does not take "sorry officer" to escape a speeding ticket. White privilege does not exist, accept it.
This kills me.. today is a heavy day.
Its called,, "Sensationalism" !!!
aaannnddd I'm crying
He is NOT complaining about being black, but rather addressing an ISSUE in society. Get it right.
Beautiful!!! I'm in tears because every word is true!
My English teacher showed this to the class and we all just fell silent. None of us were expecting that happy to serious transition. Great video. Showing this to all my friends.
In no way shape or form, I can relate to this. However, his passion, his words, his esence brought me in and made me rethink how i view stories on the news, how I view my african american friends, and how I view this situation all together. This was absolutely breathtaking. So amazing.
No matter how many times I watch this, the sudden ferocity and intensity that fills his voice at 1:21 absolutely gives me chills.
This makes me cry. Profusely. EVERY TIME.
Proud to call you my friend Javon. Not proud that you finished you're PhD and I didn't! :D You are awesome Dr. J. Keep on being the light you are.
Omg... This poem brought tears to my eyes.
This still brings to me tears to this day 💔😭 amazing
I'm not black, neither a male
This hit me so hard though
+not a youtuber same
+not a youtuber same x2
Same x3
If you are a decent human being it should hit you.
***** thank you
so sad how this reality is true. I remember as a kid riding the bus that all the kids would duck down and hide when a police car drove by. This how we played. This was our mentality even back then.
The first I heard this it brought tears to my eyes. I have two sons . I shouldn't have to have this talk with my sons .
that was painfully beautiful.. and even worse the tears... im speechless
Emotional poetry speaks the loudest. This is a wonderful poem to see. One step closer to being heard
I've watched this so many times, and every time I watch it I get chills and tear up because it is so very true.
If you dont understand his point in this video dont bother commenting. He's trying to point out how differently black boys are treated and how a caucasian male's parent dont have half as much worries as a black boy's parent does. Please love yourselves and get off.
Totally agree
I got off. =]
lol
I will NEVER understand how this video got WAAAYYY over ONE dislike. SMH 500+ of you should be ashamed of your existence! I heard this poem over 6 years ago and at least once a month I come back and listen to it! This poem will always be in my top 3 poems! What this brother is saying is an ever evolving cycle in my life and every black man who looks like me! POWER TO MY PEOPLE!
It hurts how accurate his words are , well done and thank you
Since the first time I listened to this, this has been one of the most invigorating and powerful poems I have heard. Javon, your voice makes you more hero than you'll ever know.
I saw this on my tumblr and I had to come search for it! This touched me in so man ways!!! Man you're beyond talented and you're speaking words that people are afraid to touch on!
I don't know who wouldn't cry watching that..238 people must be heartless..
Oooh I just got the chills. This hurts me, this makes me sad because it is the truth, unfortunately. I have a 3 year-old nephew, he's still at an innocent stage of his life, I don't want him to have to experience any such thing like this in the future.
This seriously made me cry and I want everyone I know to watch this. immediately.
And that's a war not a single person should EVER have to face or even think about. Incredible poem.
Waving my hand and screaming AMEN to this. Beautifully spoken.
People are getting mad saying "this happens to everyone, racism happens to everyone" indeed it does happen to everyone, but this poem and this man doing this poem is not the voice of reason to end racism as we know and many tolerate it. He is speaking from personal experience, from how he sees the world. He is not saying it doesn't happen to anyone, he's just saying it happens too often where he's from. So to those of you who are not looking at the bigger picture, try something new. Open your mind.
This was the most powerful video I have watched on here in a long time. I don't know why but in the middle of the video at the climax of the poem... I felt tears running down my face.. The emotion is raw and real.. The story is all too real and relatable
I'm not black in fact I'm Muslim but that means nothing. This hit my heart ❤️❤️❤️❤️
+Alican Calim Lol! So you can't be Black & Muslim! LMFAO
+Lamine LO yes there are black Muslims out there, but that wasn't the point of their comment.
+pilar buford sarcasm...
allahu snack bar
+Uni Fitness bless you
The cracks in your voice hit me the hardest. I literally felt you!
I'm not black but I have plenty friends that are and I am pouring tears. This is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
So powerful! By the end, he had me crying. Simply because it's the truth..
I worry for the little black boys in America so much. I cannot imagine how hard it is for the parents and loved ones to raise their young ones in a world that wants to hurt them.
I'm crying really hard. -14 year old white girl with really racist family who tells her she can't be friends with the black boy at school.
Bless you
Stay strong in your own beliefs, it will be hard but it will serve you well. peace and love to you and your friend ♡
I'm so sorry, I'm also a 14 year old white girl but with a family that would kick someone's teeth in for suggesting that so I won't pretend to know how hard it is. I suggest befriending him at school and explaining the situation to him so that you can deal with times that you might see your family as you see fit, for his sake as much as yours.
Don't let them tell you what to do. You are you
But that is Not ALL White families.. and I have heard Black families say their child cant be friends with a white child.. It goes both ways.....So sick of Drama and double standards !
Tears honestly just so many tears
After watching this almost 4 years ago and coming back to it today, never stop standing with the Black community, speaking up and helping with this continuous fight. Don’t stop saying their names. It sadness me how relevant, painful and true this still is.
All I can say is wow... I've heard this a dozen times and still my heart breaks and makes me cry because it's the God awful truth... just wow...
Oh dont mind me just casually tearing up at work. ugh this was so beautifully executed. Extremely impacting
Yo, this made me shed some thug tears fam for real.
I watched this when it first came out, I was sat here, thinking about the recent events, and constants that don’t get air time. 7 or so years later, this still makes me tear up
I hit a million views thanks to you all. Please check me out on twitter and IG @javonism for upcoming stuff.
I'm in tears right now :'( This is beautiful. This channel is absolutely amazing
I gotta younger brother who's just like javons nephew. Asking about everything and just wanting to know everything and it breaks my heart being the oldest(i'm a girl) and knowing that I won't always be able to protect my siblings like I want to and when I want to. When he sees the cops he asks, "Will they hurt me?" then I tell him, "Nah nah they can't hurt you. Don't think like that." After that I feel so bad and it just makes me so sad. I'm tired of this man.
I pray that both you and him stay safe
This was so real and meaningful. Respect to this STRONG black man and his family. Nothing more important than the truth, and this was an art in itself.
This, by far, is one of my favorites.
And I absolutely must call attention to the fact that this was performed in 2013.
It's 2015.
And nothing has changed.
It's 2019. I'm still crying, he's still scared, and if anything has changed, it's been for the worse.
This is probably the second poem ive seen performed in the past ten years but im hooked now. This is so insightful. Thank you!
this made me tear up this is so powerful i love him
I've watched this at least a dozen times over the years and it still hits hard.
As moved as slam poetry makes me feel, I very rarely cry.
This made me cry.
CRY SUM MOAR! AHAHAHAHA!
Heh heh heh... Cry sum moar...
Saw this a few years ago and my heart skipped a beat. Be strong my black kings.
This is my teacher at San Francisco State University!
Holy crap, this had me in tears. The emotion in his was so moving.
As the mother on a young African American boy, this is very powerful. I worry about my child daily. This is a sad world we live in.
2020 and this is so relevant. Rest in power black kings and queens.
I saw this before in my african american political & social thought class. Truer words have never been spoken.
WoW This is one of the most powerful and touching and tear jerking and just crazy…poems that I have ever heard/seen….It is sad….how our Black boys are raised…. This touched my heart…seriously.. If we as a people realized the greatness from which we came, we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.
I don't understand how after watching this video I look in the comments and still see people completely miss the message
Watched this as a Sophomore in HS and 8 years later it still punches a hole in my gut.
This brought tears to my eyes. Though I am white, and live in "safe" neighborhood... I could feel his, and every other black boys pain in his words...
This was 11yrs ago, and I'm just now seeing it. So painfully relatable. So painfully excellent. My Lord. What a world. What an existence.
Wowow one of the best slam poems I've ever heard
I fought back tears hearing his heartbreak in his voice as he fought against his own sorrow while reciting this; this is absolutely devastating. :'(
I am a white female from central USA. Even I am edgy around police with all the reports of violence and abuse of power, but I know full-well that my vague semblance of fear is nothing to what this man, his nephew and all the others mentioned will have to face. I am very nearly in tears from this poem. The best I can say is be the change you want to see in law enforcement.
Treated as problems before we are considered people. This was a deep line.
It hurts my heart to know that children are being raised in fear or anger just because their skin is darker than another child in school. Or that they are raised to hate that one white kid in the school that claims is not segregated but hosts mostly black children.
It hurts my heart to see the children on the streets afraid to look another in the eye not because they are shy, or being respectful, but because they are afraid that they will see hatred in the other's eyes because of their own skin.
And it what hurts most of all is that, even when we try all we can to stop all this hatred, that it still runs rapid in our society because of the ignorance of others because they were raised that way.
I just want to say, 'raised to hate that one white boy'... Doesn't really happened, the problem is is that by the time school age comes, blacks are exposed to so much hate by the white men that, that's what he knows. I mean I was raised with no hate. By first grade a white kid came up to me saying he couldn't be friends bc I was black. (I'm half white and half black) but in the eyes of the white man I'm just black. What do you think that does to a first graders mind?
I've gone through the same thing, and I do say that some people are raised to hate white children. I'm white and I transfered to a new school. There, I was beat with books in the library and know ever talked to me. One kid pushed me down and spat in my eye. I never did anything, I was very shy. And this was in 4th grade
Most white kid are taught at a young age to think that they are better than non-blacks, so when they get to school they say ignorant things and this is why a lot of people hate the white kid.
+pilar buford *non whites
So much emotion in his voice this made me cry this was beautifully written and you can see his attatchment to his words just amazing
this was so powerful and passionate, i have chills.
Omg!!!! My heart is still pounding from the grand intensity... I love it!!!
Regretfully, I prayed my black son and my biracial son both safely into adulthood and beyond for the very reasons Javon expressed so eloquently! I say 'regretfully' because, in the process, I neglected to pray as hard for my sweet daughter's safe passage to adulthood. My biracial daughter who, when asked to fill our forms asking for race designation, would mark 'OTHER' and write in 'human', never made it to her 18th birthday.
What happened to her? If you don't mind me asking
Car accident on first date.
Im sorry for your lost.
Thank you.
Thank you so much!
This literally made me cry, the EMOTION in his voice towards the end is too real