Allow us,

Allow us to tell our story – unedited,

To explore the deep blues of our souls

And bring to land the unspoken realities of our experiences –

Allow us to dance to the rhythm of life’s many waves –

And nonchalantly wave to the dismissals of the ignorant

Please!

sit back with your shame and blame and look at us in the eyes and, listen!

We will not change to fit the box, or amend to be welcomed!

We will not give away our morals and traditions and dreams – the very things that define us!

We will not allow the storm in us to be barricaded by acceptance!

Stop!

We eat with bare hands, and have kinky hair

We take time off work to raise a labour force

We sure have an accent when we speak your language

We might be less able to do certain things

We have panic attacks and we lose it sometimes –

Some of us belong to more than one of these groups

And all of us have a distinct story to tell –

So, listen!

When you speak our language, you too have an accent!

If roles were reversed, you would act like us!

We are all just actors in life’s scripted play!

Different lines, of course, but one ultimate purpose!

It is time –

Time to do away with stereotypes,

Time to get rid of comparisons,

Time to end stigma –

Allow us to be ourselves –

Allow us to speak our minds –

Allow us to be proud of the things that make us –

To believe in the hidden Cosmos

To bear with pride the scars of our survival

Allow us to cherish what makes us different!