What's in a Name ?

if you are denied a job
because of your height
or your educational background
because of your skin color
or the enunciation of your name

if you are denied a place to live
because of your religion
or your loved ones
because of your musical taste
or your choice of clothes

if you are denied the right to safe passage
to walk freely without harm into a record store
or a pharmacy

remember those who came before us
they did not go quietly
they sat at the lunch counters for everyone's
right to service
they endured brutalities from water hoses and dog bites
to ensure our humanity was respected

they set into motion the lighthouse
shining a path to a brighter possibility
and it is up to us to follow the sharp beams of truth
until our country celebrates with equal fervor
our families' names