Tawana “Honeycomb” Petty
This past Sunday, I had the honor of accepting the Human Rights Activist Award from the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights on behalf of Ancestor Charity Hicks. I look forward to passing this award on to Charity’s husband, who was not in the country during the ceremony.
Over the past 2 years, I have had the opportunity to pay tribute to Charity in various ways. I shared a story through The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers. I’ve shared speeches about what Charity meant to me and I’ve written several poems to honor a woman who offered so much of herself, not only to me, but to the world. Below is the most recent poem, I penned in her honor and shared at the event.
I miss you
the way you waged love in the struggle
kicked butt
and took names in the crisis
the way you called evil out
and pulled young folks in was a science
your defiance was strategic
and you teased me
for carrying a notebook to study your moves
but, I never met anyone like you
you were like a walking computer,
A heart with no limitations
your vision was contagious
from Africa to Palestine
folks picked up your rallying cry
Wage Love in this water fight, you said
your body is gone, but your spirit ain’t dead
and we keep on moving
pursuing our humanity
resisting this insanity
from outside forces
they want us to breakdown
give up and turn on each other
but you left us instructions
so we’ll keep on with your guidance
you told us water is life
so we’ll keep on trying
to humanize one another
Waging love in this struggle
for generations to come
or at least until the revolution
for our humanity is won
© Tawana “Honeycomb” Petty
(Dedicated to Ancestor Charity Hicks)
(Written & performed at MCHR dinner 4/3/16)