The world told me
You couldn’t get this degree
It wasn’t part of your mentality
It wasn’t what you were meant to be
Girls like you broken and bruised
Have a shortness in their longevity
To persevere
And be more than a statistic
I went on and got this degree
To prove to them these numbers are just a formality
There is more to me
I can be just like them now
Hold positions of power
And impact the community
I can make the world even better now
That we are on the same level
The world then said to me
This degree isn’t just a formality
Rather to improve your identity
Because you are still black
And privilege you lack