The Measure of a Black Life? : A Poetic Interpretation of Hope and Discontent

• Main Author: Lisa William-­White
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hipatia Press 2013-06-01
• Series: Qualitative Research in Education
• Subjects: Performance narrative; spoken word poetics; African Americans
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4471/qre.2013.23

Here,Spoken Word poetics (William-White, 2011a, 2011b; William-White & White,2011) are utilized in an interpretative and reflective text focused on racializedviolence and homicide in the United States. African American youth, particularly in urban areas, aredisproportionately affected by violent crime, namely homicide when compared toother racial/ethnic groups. Such violence is heart-wrenching; it undermines notionsof personal safety, freedom, and equality within and between communities. It erodes the ideals of democracy in ourcountry, particularly when racialized violence is under reported in the media, orignored by media; and, when such violence is inadequately addressed by, orperpetrated at the hands of, law enforcement . As a performance narrative, this piece asks the question: How do wecreate communities of care, spaces for empathy, and sites of agency that isresponsive to the needs of all citizens? Moreover, this piece probes this question, and agitates for additionalquestions about safety and community as it intersects with race.