Understanding what’s hot and what’s meaningful
Is vest in the people that we choose to be around and the people that understand
Who we are becoming and whom we choose to be.
It is on this day in New York City
That the crowd has gathered to speak out
Loudly and proudly
What are they attempting?
To remove the veil, the shroud?
It is hypocrisy and feigned indignity that are holding back the day
It is a moment to say that there should be some equity in the way
African Americans live each day
Forging such an evening could only be done by a master composer
It was the night of the National Action Network convention you see
And Al Sharpton was the composer of this event that everyone chose to be.
Positioned on the podium was Bill Cosby on that day
He so eloquently spoke of those things some hate for him to say
Like the absence of respect for each other as we move along our way
And the absence of fathers and men who choose to parent in a big way
The absence of education, and the act of dumbing ourselves down
With noise to prevent listening and hinder understanding
The fact that we prefer people to applaud us, rather than respect us
Has effected us permanently.
And the fact that there was a person who wanted us to be proud
Who had worked for James Brown who shouted for us
To “Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud.”
So it was Al Sharpton who procured Cosby for the keynote that night
That became a charge for us to stand up and respect ourselves and fight
Fight to take take back the honor we let slip away
Fight to remove hate, the n-word and misogynistic slight
Replacing it with intelligent discourse, individual thought and the desire to explore
Like Dr. Huxtable who had been a role model for generations before
But where are those types today and what are the images before us now
It is the dignity that we all want back
And who was in the crowd, it was jammed packed.
So from this crowd you could see CEOs and people that made
Contributions in a meaningful way
From the mayor of the city who chose to talk about education
And the fact that it was a bleak situation.
But he was committed to understanding
That Rev. Sharpton was demanding
A bridge over bi-partisanship
And to be part of the solution
To educate and uplift a generation left behind
As they said, “Sharpton has a very sharp mind.”
Behind him there were other dream keepers that day
Including president’s of company’s like NBC
Who spoke in an eloquent way
All of them trumpeted the accomplishments of Rev. Sharpton, you see.
Then there was Moriah, The Roots and other celebrities
Who chose to perform and express their appreciation for this man
They clapped and applauded, and shared their voices aloud
In support and to help so many more understand
That we were all one and that the imbalance in our society
Must be addressed in it’s entirety.
It was him that had chosen to be the person to say,
“We are a great people, let us not look this way.”
And before he left, he was joined
By millionaires and billionaires
And the men who had coined
“Black entertainment” and to be socially conscious
Going forward and on.
Oh yes, Bob Johnson was there too
Showing his support and explaining
“There are things, Al has to do.”
So all of us must understand that there is more to be done.
And here it is I had a moment too,
Get in the crowd and get involved
It was a wonderful night, thanks to Rev. Sharpton and those who believe in change
We all must do something, because we have got to rearrange
The positions that we find ourselves in
Which are not the optimum right now
But we can grow and benefit as a community
Somehow.
Peace.
