“You, Too”

By Ricco Wright

You, too, write America.

You are the darker storyteller.

They don’t honor you,

‘Cause they refuse to see you,

But after failing

To correct their vision,

They go blind.

Tomorrow,

You’ll shed light

On who you really are.

Everybody

Will you see

And honor you

Then.

Therefore,

They’ll learn about all your legends

And be humbled—

You, too, are America.

RICCO WRIGHT is a contributing editor and the poetry editor of Calliope Crashes, and the founder of The Royal Mien Collective. He also has written for NewBlackMan (in Exile), The Langston Gazette, and TC Today, and has been a featured commentator on NPR, CNN, and CNN International. A Bill Gates Scholar from 2000 to 2010, Wright received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Langston University and his doctoral degree in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school and matriculate to university. He has taught mathematics at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Langston University. He lives in Tulsa, OK, and has two daughters, Raquel and Raya.