[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.52,0:00:10.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have two questions for you.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.56,0:00:14.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One: whose shoulders\Ndo you stand on,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.27,0:00:18.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and two: what do \Nyou stand for?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.62,0:00:20.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are two questions\Nthat I always begin my
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.97,0:00:22.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,poetry workshops\Nwith students because
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.77,0:00:25.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at times, poetry can\Nseem like this dead
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.74,0:00:30.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,art form for old white men who just \Nseem like they were born to be old,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.29,0:00:33.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like, you know, Benjamin \NButton or something.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.53,0:00:36.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I ask my students \Nthese two questions,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.64,0:00:39.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then I share how\NI answer them, which is
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.27,0:00:41.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in these three \Nsentences that go:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.17,0:00:43.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am the daughter of \NBlack writers,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.52,0:00:45.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who are descended \Nfrom Freedom Fighters
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.29,0:00:47.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who broke their chains \Nand changed the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.73,0:00:49.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They call me.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.56,0:00:52.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And these are words I \Nrepeat in a mantra before
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.53,0:00:56.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every single poetry performance, \Nin fact, I was doing it in the corner
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.31,0:00:58.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over there. I was \Nmaking faces.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.63,0:01:02.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so I repeat them to myself,\Nas a way to gather myself,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.26,0:01:06.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I'm not sure if you know,\Nbut public speaking is pretty terrifying.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.51,0:01:10.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know I'm on stage, and I have \Nmy heels, and I look all glam,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.50,0:01:13.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I'm horrified.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.48,0:01:16.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the way in which I kind \Nof strengthen myself,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.63,0:01:18.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is by having this mantra.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.78,0:01:22.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most of my life I was particularly\Nterrified of speaking up,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.60,0:01:24.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I had a speech \Nimpediment, which made it
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.78,0:01:29.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,difficult to pronounce certain letters, \Nsounds, and I felt like I was fine
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.53,0:01:31.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,writing on the page,\Nbut once I got on stage,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.76,0:01:34.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was worried my words \Nmight jumble and stumble.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.01,0:01:37.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What was the point in trying not to \Nmumble these thoughts in my head,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.29,0:01:40.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if everything's already \Nbeen said before?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.75,0:01:44.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But finally I had a moment of \Nrealization, where I thought,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.56,0:01:48.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if I choose not to speak out \Nof fear, then there's no one
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.61,0:01:51.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that my silence is standing for.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.36,0:01:55.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so I came to realize that I \Ncannot stand standing to the side,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.25,0:01:56.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,standing silent.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.34,0:01:58.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I must find the strength \Nto speak up,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.80,0:02:02.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one of the ways I do that is \Nthrough this mantra where I call back
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.01,0:02:04.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to what I call \Nhonorary ancestors.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.33,0:02:07.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are people who might \Nnot be related to you by blood,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.24,0:02:08.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or by birth,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.06,0:02:10.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but who are more than worth \Nsaying their names,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.37,0:02:13.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because you stand on their \Nshoulders all the same.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.03,0:02:15.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's only from the height \Nof these shoulders
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.56,0:02:19.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we might have the sight\Nto see the mighty power of poetry,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.31,0:02:24.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the power of language made \Naccessible, expressible.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.01,0:02:28.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Poetry is interesting because not \Neveryone is going to become
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.14,0:02:29.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a great poet,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.62,0:02:32.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but anyone can be, and \Nanyone can enjoy poetry,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.81,0:02:34.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's this openness,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.22,0:02:36.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this accessibility of \Npoetry that makes it
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.51,0:02:38.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the language \Nof the people.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.12,0:02:41.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Poetry has never been \Nthe language of barriers,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.60,0:02:44.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's always been \Nthe language of bridges.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.78,0:02:47.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's this connection-\Nmaking that makes poetry,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.27,0:02:51.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,yes, powerful, but \Nalso makes it political.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.22,0:02:53.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the things that \Nirritates me to no end,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.77,0:02:56.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is when I get that phone call, \Nand it's usually from a white man,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.71,0:02:59.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he's like, "Man, Amanda,\Nwe love your poetry,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.65,0:03:02.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we'd love to get you to write \Na poem about this subject,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.14,0:03:05.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but don't make it political."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.03,0:03:06.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which to me sounds like,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.79,0:03:10.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have to draw a square,\Nbut not make it a rectangle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.40,0:03:12.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or build a car and \Nnot make it a vehicle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.91,0:03:14.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it doesn't make \Nmuch sense,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.38,0:03:17.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because all art \Nis political.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.60,0:03:22.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The decision to create, the \Nartistic choice to have a voice,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.03,0:03:25.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the choice to be heard is \Nthe most political act of all.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.90,0:03:30.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by "political" I mean poetry \Nis political in at least three ways:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.26,0:03:34.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One: what stories we tell,\Nwhen we're telling them,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.26,0:03:36.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how we're telling them,\Nif we're telling them,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.57,0:03:39.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why we're telling them,\Nsays so much about
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.39,0:03:41.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the political \Nbeliefs we have,\N
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.24,0:03:43.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about what types \Nof stories matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.72,0:03:46.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Secondly, who gets to \Nhave their stories told,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.29,0:03:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm talking, who is legally \Nallowed to read,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.00,0:03:51.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who has the resources \Nto be able to write,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.49,0:03:53.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who are we reading \Nin our classrooms,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.34,0:03:56.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,says a lot about the political \Nand educational systems,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.98,0:04:00.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that all these stories and \Nstorytellers exist in.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.13,0:04:04.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lastly, poetry is political \Nbecause it's preoccupied
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.06,0:04:05.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with people.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.25,0:04:08.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you look at history, \Nnotice that tyrants often go
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.08,0:04:09.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,after the poets and \Nthe creatives first.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.80,0:04:13.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They burn books, they try to get rid \Nof poetry and the language arts,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.72,0:04:16.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they're \Nterrified of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.62,0:04:20.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Poets have this phenomenal \Npotential to connect the
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.09,0:04:24.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,beliefs of the private individual\Nwith the cause of change
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.03,0:04:29.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the public, the population, \Nthe polity, the political movement.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.83,0:04:32.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when you leave here, \NI really want you to try to hear
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.83,0:04:35.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the ways in which poetry \Nis actually at the center
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.85,0:04:38.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of our most political questions \Nabout what it means
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.64,0:04:39.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be a democracy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.91,0:04:41.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe later you're going \Nto be at a protest,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.85,0:04:43.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and someone's going to \Nhave a poster that says,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.58,0:04:46.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"They buried us, but they \Ndidn't know we were seeds."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.84,0:04:48.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's poetry.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.28,0:04:51.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might be in your U.S. History class, \Nand your teacher may play a video
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.99,0:04:55.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of Martin Luther King Jr. saying, \N"We will be able to hew out of this
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.59,0:04:58.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mountain of despair\Na stone of hope."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.16,0:04:59.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's poetry.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.70,0:05:01.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or maybe even here, \Nin New York City,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.68,0:05:03.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're going to go visit \Nthe Statue of Liberty
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.82,0:05:06.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where there's a sonnet \Nthat declares, as Americans,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.44,0:05:09.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Give us your tired, \Nyour poor,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.28,0:05:11.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your huddled masses\Nyearning to be free."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.57,0:05:15.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you see, when someone \Nasks me to write a poem
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.19,0:05:16.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's not political,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.99,0:05:19.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what they're really asking me \Nis to not ask charged
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.95,0:05:22.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and challenging questions\Nin my poetic work,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.69,0:05:26.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that does not work, because \Npoetry is always at the pulse
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.66,0:05:29.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the most dangerous \Nand most daring questions
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.25,0:05:32.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that a nation \Nor a world might face.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.69,0:05:35.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What path do we \Nstand on as a people,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.41,0:05:39.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what future as a \Npeople do we stand for?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.30,0:05:42.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the thing about poetry \Nis that it's not really about
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.25,0:05:43.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,having the right answers,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.88,0:05:48.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's about asking these right questions \Nabout what it means to be
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.40,0:05:52.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a writer doing right by your \Nwords and your actions,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.11,0:05:56.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and my reaction is to pay honor \Nto those shoulders of people
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.11,0:05:58.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who used their pens to \Nroll over boulders
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.24,0:06:01.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I might have a mountain \Nof hope on which to stand,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.12,0:06:04.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that I might understand \Nthe power of telling stories
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.19,0:06:06.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that matter no matter what.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.26,0:06:10.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that I might realize that \Nif I choose, not out of fear,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.19,0:06:12.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but out of courage, \Nto speak,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.23,0:06:15.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then there's something unique \Nthat my words can become.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.31,0:06:19.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And all of a sudden that fear that \Nmy words might jumble and stumble
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.39,0:06:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,go away as I'm humbled \Nby the thoughts
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.82,0:06:24.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of thousands of stories \Na long time coming
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.10,0:06:26.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I know are strumming \Ninside me as I celebrate
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.99,0:06:29.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,those people in their time\Nwho stood up so this little
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.50,0:06:30.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Black girl could rhyme\N
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.98,0:06:34.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as I celebrate and call their names\Nall the same, these people
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.55,0:06:37.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who seem like they \Nwere just born to be bold:
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.89,0:06:40.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maya Angelou, \NNtozake Shange,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.12,0:06:42.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Phillis Wheatley,\NLucille Clifton,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.36,0:06:44.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gwendolyn Brooks,\NJoan Wicks,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.00,0:06:47.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Audre Lorde,\Nand so many more.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.06,0:06:50.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It might feel like every story\Nhas been told before,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.19,0:06:53.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the truth is, no one's \Never told my story
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.46,0:06:55.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the way I\Nwould tell it
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.04,0:06:59.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as the daughter of black writers, \Nwho are descended from freedom fighters
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.01,0:07:01.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who broke their chains \Nand changed the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.46,0:07:02.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They call me.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.97,0:07:04.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I call them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.57,0:07:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one day I'll \Nwrite a story right,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.17,0:07:11.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by writing it into a tomorrow \Non this earth more than worth
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.02,0:07:14.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,standing for.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.91,0:07:16.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.