ALLY

Dear People,

Who are Of Color, Women, LGBT, Muslims, Mexicans, Immigrants, Individually Abled

I Conspired Against You.

I Am an Accomplice to the New Rule.

I Am the Ink on the Executive Order.

I’m Sorry.

I’m Sorry as I know I’m Sorry won’t Help. I’m Sorry.

My Flaws Streamline as it took Fascist Rise to Realize

The Reality My fellow beings have Lived- Continue to Live.

I, like you, ignored the Inherent state of Oppression.

But if you’re dwindling, still, in the, ‘I can’t believes this happe’- STOP

Whirl winding in the state of self inflicted delusions.

It’s here, wake from Surreal- It’s really really Real.

Either-

You Shift and treat your Consciousness; Or

Stay Dormant. Like you have.

Understand, I am not here to shame you. I’m not.

That is not my Intention.

It’s just- My Attention Tensions Retentions of Neglected Successions.

If like me, remorse criticizes you- Then What Are We Waiting For?

This I know to be true…

We sat back, ignorant to the facts of existence.

I put Me in Mute. Refused to Refute

Around family, friends, acquaintances, Strangers as they

Elevated Egos in Entitled Entitlement

It’s Privilege. Fueled my Stagnancy. To not Conceive-

My Uncle saying, “These N******”

My Sister Petitioning against neighborhood Mosques.

My Father disrespecting his Latinx employees

My Lover describing her co-worker as ‘Jew-y.’

A Stranger yelling “Go back to your country”

For years, I hushed my Guilt.

My Guilt- The Guilt I refused to call my Guilt-

It came in forms of,

“I don’t think that way, so it’s Okay.”

“Yes, I agree. I really do think Women should have equal Pay”

I even frame liking Black Lives Matter. On Facebook. As enough.

You know what- Maybe for You it is Enough.

I’m not here to tell you that it isn’t-

Actually,

No- No. I don’t think it is.

It isn’t Enough

To Feel the Feels

Passion ain’t Passion until it’s put to Action.

I recall Christmas 2008 - 9 -10

“He’s got no Spine.

He’s awful. Worst President.

His Wife looks like a gorilla”

Even at “Show your papers.”

I still didn’t affirm their reactions stemmed from Nothing but Loathing a

Black President.

A Person of Color as your Leader.

Just Melanin. Gave you Again, Reasoned Resonant Superiority.

It Was & Is My Silence. Reverberating Aid against Equality.

I’m Sorry.

I’m Sorry when I know I’m Sorry doesn’t cut it.

Sorry won’t evaporate the thrusted Disgrace.

For, my Seeds have long went to Waste.

When I didn’t Militantly Dismiss Ignorance.

Being Inactive, I Nourished Racism

As it stemmed from my Roots.

Our Deformed Perspective.

How can we Shift it?

If Empathy is a continuous Restoration

I Vow

To Tend to Comprehend. Listen

All my missed opportunities,

To Fuel Soldiered Alliance.

I need You to Join Me.

Take your time if that’s what you need.

Just Know, We’re fighting a sickness that’s Festered over Years, Decades,

Centuries, Generations, and with it, Genealogies.

It’s in Our Blood.

Our Healing comes with being at the Fore Front.

I Vow.

I Will Stand.

I Will Rise.

Beyond the Occasional Check In.

I Vow. To Challenge. I Vow. To Rise

Beyond tears for a Syrian Refugee holding her Dead 3 Old Daughter.

Between the Police Bullet and the 17 Year Old Black Boy.

I am the Wall Blocking Building Bricks of Separation.

The Concrete Rebuilt Defaced Cemeteries.

I am Airport Echoes

“No Hate. No Fear. Refugees Are Welcome Here.”

Obedience of Preferred Gender Identity.

Disobedience of All Straight White Male Hierarchy.

I Vow to Rise

Frozen from Water Cannons, below 20 degrees –

Pepper spray in my Eyes. To Protect your Right.

Your Right to This Land.

Your Right to Live.

Your Right to Your Rights.

Your Right as a Human Being.

Your Right.

I Vow to Rise. I Vow

I won’t just Stand By

Owais Ahmed is a Chicago native and proud ensemble member of Definition Theatre Co. Theatre credits include: The Invisible Hand (Milwaukee Rep), Orange (Mixed Blood Theatre), The Qualms (Steppenwolf), Heartland (PlayPenn), Blood & Gifts (TimeLine), The Reckoning of Kit (First Floor Theater), and Red Handed Otter (A Red Orchid). Other theatre credits: Anon(ymous), The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, and Passion Play. Film/TV credits: Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Age of Ice, and Empire. Owais is with Gray Talent.