I'm Done Waiting

I’m Done Waiting

The Academy Group’s Spoken Word Enrichment

Anthology

Introduction by Jocelyn Ochoa

Edited by Miranda Dunford

WHAT ARE YOU DONE WAITING FOR?

Introduction

Jocelyn Ochoa

We live in a world full of ideas locked behind bars. We exist in a hand over mouth moment where there seems to be no stairs to climb out of this dark hole of confusion, oppression, and lies. This world is not kind to our stories; it wants to silence and control us, continually reminding us that we must fight for our justified place in this world. Everyone has dreams and aspirations, but perception ultimately determines whether or not we reach them. We wait for a better world; a world kind to us, one that nurtures and welcomes our presence, but we cannot wait any more.

We are done waiting. Done waiting for luck to approach us. Done waiting for our moment to shine.

It’s time to take our picks and create our own path through truth and storytelling. One way to show the world who we are is through our writing and our voices. As we speak, we bring our very beings into words. Spoken Word creates a place where people can feel free to share their thoughts and opinions. We unify our art with hopes that people will see and be reminded that they are not alone. May this collection of pieces reach you and remind you to share your story for a change.

What are you waiting for?

Acknowledgments

Laurence Steven Minter

To the Academy Group, who’s mission is fueled by the belief that talent is ubiquitous, thank you for trusting and believing in the transformative power of spoken word. The allowance of this course being offered is a testament to the demonstrated excellence, curiosity, and eloquence of these amazing students.

To the young artists whom I’ve had the priviledge of traveling with this year, thank you. You all entered with such different levels of interest and exposure yet each of you committed to learning. With that came a need for me to ensure that I was ready to produce each session. I have truly grown with you all. Thank you for your willigness and thank you for your resilience.

Each of you are evidence that love remains alive in this world. The space we’ve built was always meant to extend beyond the boundaries of the class.

This has been one of my favorite spaces in AG. If it had not been for the open expression of my gift as an artist and my excitement to share that, this space might not have existed in this way. I was done waiting for the version of myself I wanted to be and chose to step fully into what was destined.

Now I am excited for the world to experience your light.

Your quote of the day is as follows:

“Do not wait: the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.” - George Herbert

Contributors

Maya Alexa Arroyo is a current Sophomore at Intrinsic Schools Downtown Campus. Her pieces were written under the guidance of the great poet Laurence Steven Minter. Often inspired by the lyrics of Tyler the creator, Joji, and lil peep. She finds writing a way to express feelings. “You can unwind and write out what you wouldn’t normally express with a pen and paper”

Esperanza Román Carrera is a current Junior at Kenwood Academy High School. Her name influenced her to read the book Esperanza Rising, which made her build a liking towards the world of words. Eventually, she began to write short poems on napkins, scratch paper, or anything that was paper like. As time passed, she fell in love with music when she started learning to play piano and violin. Now, during her free time, she writes poems with music aka songs. She enjoys listening to music artists, Eydrey, Sarah Nathalie, Wande, Giveon, and J.Cole, the most for inspiration.

Citlali Diaz is a current Sophomore at John Hancock College Prep. In middle school, she began to grow a fondness for books. Today reading is still one of her favorite pastimes. Over the past year, she was able to explore her creative writing side. She has now performed a collaborative piece for AG and an original piece for her entire sophomore grade. She hopes to continue expressing herself through writing.

Miranda Dunford is a Junior at Kenwood Academy High School who enjoys both the earth and black literature and poetry; especially the golden shovel poems depicted in this anthology. Audre Lorde, Octavia E. Butler, Akwaeke Emezi, and Toni Morrison are some of her biggest inspirations.

Amya Flowers is a current Senior at Michele Clark Academic High School. Writing is her hidden talent. Amya fell in love with writing when she was 6-7 years old when she would write her dad

letters with money enclosed in it. As she got older she started to find the true importance of writing. It has given her the ability to understand and convey her feelings. Writing for her “is like taking a deep breath or counting to 3 and not feeling anything, no anger, and no frustration. Pen to paper can be a way for most to express and share their imagination”.

Nia Hill is a current Sophomore at Kenwood Academy High School. She enjoys being creative and sometimes writing short poems or quotes. She also enjoys engaging art through music, different short stories, poems, or even visual art itself. Being apart of the Academy Group has helped her fall in love with poetry and learn more about art in general.

Francisco Luna

Hinisha Malone, a 17 years young Junior at Michele Clark who a year and a half ago, never pictured herself writing poetry or furthermore performing any that she created. Over time she has put forth a lot of passion towards poetry, as it brings her thoughts to life. She has learned to find herself and become more open minded to trying new things instead of limiting herself. Her inspiration comes from nature & society, two things that’ll never die if we all put love into them.

Benjamin Martinez is a current Sophomore at Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago. He is interested in marketing as a possible career path. Benjamin is a first-generation student from Poland and Mexico, and currently works part-time at Culver’s. He enjoys spending his free riding his bike and using his dad’s old digital and film camera to document things he does and places he goes.

Laurence Steven Minter serves as the Spoken Word Enrichment instructor and High School Advisor with the Academy Group.He is also an alumnus of Kenwood Academy High School. His parents

named him after the great poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and his uncle, Pastor Larry Benford. His fire for spoken word was kindled early through a kindergarten Drama club, and later at the Louder Than A Bomb citywide slam competition in 2016. He enjoys studying Gill Scott-Heron, Lucille Clifton, and Black preaching.

Seanna Mercado is a current Sophomore at Hancock High School. Her love for creative writing stemmed from discovering out-ofthe-box writing styles in preschool. Her mother, being an elementary school teacher, pushed Seanna to indulge in literature early on. Her childhood visits to the library hold the memory of coming home with over 20 books and a smile on her face. The way authors imaginatively express themselves in methods utilizing format and literary elements drives her to keep reading.

Uriah Moyeno

Jocelyn Ochoa is a current Freshman at Jones College Prep high school. She finds happiness through reading and analyzing pieces of writing that are filled with much emotion. Those writings impact her and change her perspective on life. Fiction transfers her to other worlds where she can belong. Always reading since she was younger has made the love for it explode. She wishes to share her works with others, and flourish.

Monica Perez is a current Freshman at Back of the Yards College Prep. Her parents named her based on a family member who had the same name which they liked. Spoken Word is something new that she has had an opportunity to try out and has been a nice experience for her to be in. Writing poetry wasn’t really something she would imagine herself doing since she didn’t think this can be a relaxing and fun thing to do.

Lukas Sheves

Keyvaun Singleton is a current Senior at King College Prep.

Keyvaun first gained an interest in writing after reading the works of Rick Riordan, an action and fantasy author. Prior to this, he had very little interest in reading or literature as a whole but reading became a daily routine soon after exposure to Rick Riordan. Currently, Keyvaun’s only goal as a writer is to make works that he can be proud of.

Maya Arroyo

Can’t you see what the lengths I’ve gone to Why can’t you just take a second to pay attention

Suffering in silence

I can’t take this anymore

You won’t listen

What should I do

Why do I have to wait

What is so good about you anyway

Wishing, wanting, and hoping is going to get me nothing but disappointment

Like you....

Sleepless nights

Fidgeting and blushing over a delusion

It’s not the first time you’ve done this

This ends now

I’m done waiting for your attention

Monica

i’m done done, done, done time is ticking but not fast enough all this time wasted for nothing wasted, wasted, wasted

Keyvaun Singleton

I’m Done Waiting. Waiting for someone else, Waiting for courage, Waiting for that perfect opportunity, To move my way and change my life. I know the truth.

The truth I’ve been hiding from myself, That I’m afraid of that first step, of change. But not anymore I’m Done Waiting.

Maya Arroyo

Why should I have to wait

I demand you listen to what I have to say

Has my voice not been loud enough?

Cuz I don’t think you understand me

I’m sick and tired of someone speaking for me

Half yall don’t even experience the decision your making for me, Young women’s lives being altered

No more decision making for this generation

That changes today

How can I make a change?

No more rights being taken

I’m done waiting for you

Jocelyn Ochoa

The Opening of Doors

The bus finally arrives, and I step on I look for a seat.

Found one, at the back I sit down and observe

Music on and eyes glancing

Looking to the front and I see some girls laughing, they must be friends

Oh how their laughter fills up the air

A mother and her rowdy children enter the bus

Their loud but they bring life into us

A kind man gives up his seat for an elderly woman

How nice, would I also do the same?

A girl sits next to me, and I see how she glistens in the sunlight

Her outfit is amazing, if only I could tell her, but I don’t I just observe

Why can’t I just say what I’m thinking and feeling

Why must I keep it all in for no one to ever find out

Why can’t I ever live in the moment and not overthink

I look out the window and see the street 56 Two more stops left

I must say something or else I will be silent forever

But if I do, they might think I’m weird for speaking to them

For even trying, for even thinking of them

But if I don’t say it now, I will never know what could happen next

I announce my stop, and the girl with the nice outfit stands up to let me go

I look at her and say “I like your outfit” She looks at me and I’m scared about what she is going to say She smiles and thanks me

The bus door opens, And I get off With a smile on my face

Esperanza Román Carrera

Bald Flower

1 petal falls then 2 then 3 then 4 a moment later ... the flower is bald

Citlali Diaz

WHAT ARE YOU DONE WAITING FOR?

I interviewed some of my close friends and asked them one question, What are you done waiting for?

im done waiting for people to “change.” I care for them so much but it feels as though that isn’t reciprocated. i don’t want to lose them but i need to put myself first and do what’s best for me.

-g i’m done waiting for myself to stop making excuses for other people. i’m scared of letting people go.

-k

im done waiting for validation from others. people that i am currently seeking validation from won’t even be in my life in 2 years. the only person i am supposed to make happy is myself.

-n Im done waiting for society to unite in peace.

-j Im done waiting for other people. I need to start doing my own things no matter who’s beside me.

Miranda Dunford

Audre Lorde’s Coal

From lava and impatience comes the earth inside

The truest, burning reflection of restlessness

Earth’s own objection to stuffy constraints, bursting from Inside.

Seanna Mercado amygdala

processor process this the balance game turned insomniac following the line

i can’t stop

dot these advances pull from humanity the roller coaster approaches the peak almond tumbles down the track

i pushed it dot compromises are second nature the cd spins

my scratched nucleus

i skip it

dot

this is a pivotal time the animation is paused

our circuit is lagging

i press play

dot

let’s keep running the chronic stressor will pass frontal lobe can handle it

i won’t stop

Benjamin Martinez

Memories are like precious gold

Priceless treasures we must hold Memories remind us of who we are

Where we came from near or far Memories bring comfort love and cheer

But may also create a tear Memories of joy and laughter

Of love and kindness now and after

Cherish every memory made For they are bonds that never break

When everything is over, all said and done Memories we cling to, every-one

Jocelyn Ochoa

Sinking Mattress

Courageous Mattress drains unnerving stress Protection from beloved Lady’s hand Enclosure of imagination, bless Creation helps develop fairyland

Location Peaceful endless thinking small, Restrained opinion now released, divine Removing judgment, ears a long side wall Beliefs that taint I, selfhood must reline

Though soothing bed confines, the roses bind In heaven, foreign outside, can’t connect The sinking into sand and grasping blind Is pointless fighting, clouds descend, Reflect

An irritating glimmer from the day Observant, seeing thriving gifts in gray.

Citlali Diaz

the youth is our future the youth is adventurous the youth is sweet the youth is dying

169 lives stolen

15 schools targeted

our words are empty air the legislative creed failed us once again our aim for change their aim toward us

i’m done waiting

i’m done waiting for safety

i’m done waiting for trust we learn to stay quiet lock the doors and turn off the lights but what are we supposed to do if our voices are turned off if you hear 1 6 9 voices waiting for you for us

Keyvaun Singleton

When is it coming?

I can’t bear it any longer

This same unbearable, eternal cycle.

When’s my change coming?

My path to success?

It was supposed to be here by now!

Was there something I missed?

Whatever happened to “good things happen to those who wait”?

I’ve spent my whole life waiting!

Fine then

Without a change, I’ll pioneer it

The cycle has been broken, I’m Done Waiting.

Laurence Steven Minter

I know not of the conveniences stored inside of me.

The narratives that ride with me

The sorrow and songs which give my pen its stride. Every stepping stone cast towards the future is felt.

We are the children playing catch

We be the captives of sugarcane craters In moonlit mouths.

I know not of the broken branches that forcefully fled from my family tree.

To the distant cousins who remain in orbit

To those that transcend space and time The ones unrecognized by name but true to the bloodline.

To those that stood in line To the denied

To the waiting room that houses

This unease

To those still waiting as I advance

To those who wait for me

Those who wait with me

And those who wait on me

Jocelyn Ochoa

Ohh to be Rich

Ohh to be Rich, I am not Rich But ohh, to be rich

To see how much power it takes to be free

Young is my age, But I have lived through so much to See how much rule these man-made pieces of paper actually contain

ohh, to be Rich Making connections and Opening my eyes to new experiences. Nothing to stop me while I gain Everything while You look up with envy

But ohh, I do not want to feel this way The possibility the creation can taint the user With greed, is frightening But this world lives off of it

Oh to be Rich, I will make it one day, With no insatiable hunger I will make it

Esperanza

Over the door closes the dark darkens the wall narrows everything becomes smaller breathing becomes exhausting begging becomes necessary belonging becomes unknown everything gets worse strength gets powerless sympathy gets weaker sun gets smaller everything is-it’s over.

Miranda Dunford

It Gets Better with Time

My mind is a multiverse of opportunities, with Ground so precious to me everything Is plucked over twice and formed until Solid and sturdy And strong

No terrestrial being could threaten it. No Earthquake could shift its plates nor Could the sting of failure

Shake its drywalls for It is solid and absolved of time it Ain’t waiting, or anticipating, or predicting the troubles

Waiting in the wings

On unforeseen beasts, for you see Nothing has evolved herself as I have

Hinisha Malone

Oh what bright flowers in a world full of constant chaos

But through those bright flowers you see my dark skin, right?

Same color as dirt that produces the growth for those bright flowers, right?

We’re laid on the ground and drowned in water but to rise up a great piece of art, right?

No? Oh I thought so.

I’m not meant to be here look down the line

I’m the first of my kind to reside where the world didn’t want me too

and to the world I will oblige to the cries and the judgment drooping over me but from where?

Oh. you. Yeah you.

I see you trying to yank away the way I paved

Throwing every piece of mud there is to make me sink

But I am from the earth, the mud, the dirt. How can that harm me?

In the thoughts that I think that might be one that say “ I can’t do this anymore “

This fierce look is not a facade to respond to your ignorance

Or make you scared of me to stop the acts of your belligerence Far from it

I give this look to show the strength in my face

Why does that scare you, offend you, or mark me as aggressive

Now I’m sitting in a chair far from the ones we were put in

Looking at you with these eyes that’s created from the soil

Blossomed to the earth’s core, brighter than before

Blossomed to the earth’s core, brighter than before Seeing more, being more therefore I am Brightly colored in brown, melanin, yes! From earth I’ve come and from the ground I was made Into that melanin dark flower

A freshman screaming “I’M SO READY TO GRADUATE”

To a senior being emotionally stressed because you’re going to walk across the stage in just a few months.

Wow, where did the time go?

You’ll be starting a new journey soon Whether it’s going to college or taking time to figure out what you want to do, it’s almost over !

It’s time to put your big girl pants on Mama, can’t be there every step of the way anymore

If you’ve ever watched a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, then you know this is exactly what your school years are like!

I encourage you to live a little but don’t live to the fact that you forget your purpose

Seanna Mercado

Letter:

Dear AG classmates,

I hope this letter finds you all content as we prepare for our next school year. I am writing this letter in admiration for the community we have built. This year we have supported one another while demonstrating action and relentless determination. We did not wait for the opportunity to come to us, but we jumped at it.

You inspire me with your perseverance and resilience. We have grown and learned so much from one another. We have challenged ourselves to expand and prepare for what’s ahead. I do not doubt that our dedication this year has evolved us to withstand roadblocks that may come in our path.

As we move forward into the next school year, let’s continue to push ourselves and each other to new peaks. I am grateful for the conversations held and the voices heard. This time together was a small part of our journey. I am excited to continue with you all for the opportunities we will jump into next.

Sincerely,

Seanna Mercado

is it over? tiredness, loneliness taking over waiting and waiting but it’s over?

Monica Perez final