After being ill last week, I could not have been more excited to return to Lawndale this week, which was all about reimagining the past and revitalizing our power, our magic. After a game of never-ending-story, where students used their imagination to create new worlds and possibilities (breaking rules, enchanting cheese, destroying Lebron James’ career), we returned to reality, if only to change it. With an excerpt of Eve L. Ewing’s “Three Re-Tellings” students discussed racial profiling, perspective, and the power of rewriting injustice. Their poems reflect personal experiences witnessing and confronting injustice, from lost dogs to police brutality. But in the face of adversity, sometimes you can fly to outer space, and return safe and sound.
Ms. Barker
6th Grade
“Missing Dog“
by Jiyah M.
One time I was walking down the street, then I saw a dog, but two days later I saw a poster of a missing dog, but I took a picture of that dog just in case it was the same dog, so I felt bad that I couldn’t save him when he got ran over.
If I changed it, I would reverse time and keep the dog until I saw the poster then stop the truck.
“Injusticia“
by Carlos P.
injusticia que me regañaron por decir que yo no lo hice y me castigaron y también mi moña me dijo que no vendría a la escuela pero vine injusticia
que no me regañaron y que no viniera
“Aleska“
by Jaider S.
un día vi que faltaba mi pelota, la busqué por toda la casa y no apareció, pero escuché que una niña dijo “que bonita pelota” y vi que tenía mi pelota, le pregunté que si me la podía dar y dijo no; luego le se lo dije a su mama pero la mama me ignoró.
luego de eso me enojé y le quité todos sus juguetes a la niña >:V
y luego de eso vi como la niña lloraba, eso me hizo sentir tan bien que creí que yo estaba volando
Ms. Barker
8th Grade – Group B
“Police Picking”
by Janya C.
I saw a police chase these boys and they pushed him to the ground very hard. Everybody was looking ’cause it was a block party, they were trying to let the boy go
(I wish that he could’ve run fast or gotten away)
“Weird day”
by Javeon R.
It all started on a nice summer morning, me and my friend walked out the house and were stopped by the police. They held us for at least an hour in their cars. They accused us of stealing a car but we had just walked out. They finally let us go and we decided to go sink the Titanic and fly to outer space.
While being in outer space me and my friend met aliens who became our best friends. They even let us drive their UFOs. The aliens’ parents bought us Subway and flew us back to Chicago.
Ms. Barker
8th Grade – Group A
“A Retelling“
by Priscella H.
Me, my sisters, and I think my niece was there too – we were at either Walmart or Target when we was chilling at the self checkout, trying to scan our stuff and whatnot. When those white employees was staring at us – and only us – as if we finna steal something.
I wish a bunch of white people would’ve run past with stolen items, knocking them into an unknown place where they get ridiculed by who they love most. They’d spiral into mental insanity and have panic attacks every 10 minutes, making those around them slowly turn on them and hate them.
