What does it mean to be Black in America? In this book, Pierre W. Orelus uses his poetry to unpack this question, unmasking racism, sexism, and oppression in America. The 59 poems in this collection deal with a wide range of topics, from immigration to xenophobia, from Black pride to Black rage, from parenting to female empowerment.Since the dawn of time, poetry and stories have been used to address social issues while inspiring at the same time deep, imaginary, and philosophical thoughts. This book combines poetry with short stories situated in very specific historical, racial, socio-economic, and cultural contexts to examine the existential experiences of Brown and Black people in the Americas, particularly in the United States of America, with systemic racism, voucher capitalism, xenophobia, and sexism, among other social wrongs.
Pierre W. Orelus is Associate Professor and Director of the Teaching Foundation program in the Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation Department in the School of Education and Human Development at Fairfield University. His research involves intersectional examination of the various ways in which language, race, and gender intersect to influence people’s lives, including student learning and teachers’ teaching practices.
Foreword: How Does It Feel Like to Be a Problem in the United States of America?Awad IbrahimIntroductionPART 11 Feeling the Blues in the United States of America2 In Search of a Safe Place3 We’re Not Going Anywhere4 From the Ghetto to the Ivory Tower5 The Resilient Black Woman6 The Oppressed of the Americas7 Feeling in Exile in My Own Land8 The Misrepresentation of People of the Global Majority9 The Vetted Immigrants10 Phobias in the United States11 The Narcissist with the Blue Eyes12 Why Are Black People So Angry?13 What Happens to the Black Nation?14 Black Pride15 The Woman Who Floats16 Still Standing in Front of You17 In the Memory of George Floyd18 How It Feels to Be Black in the Americas19 We’re Rising up in Multi Colors20 Love Always Trumps over Hate21 I Am Black, and I Am Enough!22 How Real Love Feels Like23 The COVID-19 Pandemic of Color24 Love Is All That We Need25 Raising Queer Teens26 Cancer Sucks!27 The Death of the Nation28 When Love Is Gone29 The Fear of Death30 How to Spot a Psychopath31 You’re a Beautiful Wave32 On Co-Parenting33 The Depressed34 Discovering African Spirituality35 On Forgiveness36 Living in the Future37 In Honor of Our Black Ancestors38 The Beauty in SolitudePART 239 Where Is the God for Black People?40 Black Exodus41 Open Letter to Our Ancestors42 Only the Truth Will Set US Free43 Involuntary Exile44 The Day of Revolt45 Bloody Day46 God, Where Are You?47 The Black Child48 Dear Black Women49 African Goddess50 Life as a Circle51 Black Youth52 I Have Another Dream53 Light in Hope54 Fighting for Humanity55 Dark Night in the Heart of a Coup56 The Danger of Words57 You Are My Redemption58 Dear White Americans: An Open LetterAfterword: A Long and Immense Cry That Rips the Air!Gina Thésée