We Must Drum Up Our Agitation!

Photo courtesy of K. Mauthner

INTRODUCTION: Nothing is black and white. There's a colorful spectrum between freedom and justice. While attending the 2018 Women's March with my husband, we felt proud to make our peaceful, yet collectively powerful presence known.

However, when facebook's facial recognition technology automatically tagged @marctwang in the crowd from a friend's photo, we were mutually unaware of each others' participation, we experienced a mix of awe and trepidation.

Speaking up for the rights of others or even yourself can be scary, but we must be willing to show our faces no matter who or what is watching, in order to stand united to demand equality for ALL.

We Must Drum Up Agitation!
Original poem by @eyedreemit

Feel an uneasy longing to upend

conventional thinking without caution,

say out loud, but with consideration

that doing nothing reveals you will bend

Feeling willing but unable to defend?

Think of the beat of stifled expression

saying, “We must drum up agitation!”

Seek, communicate, buzz and pollinate:

The power of the hive is where the bees is

A determined flower blooms in earth’s grip

Sing, honey-voiced, to let goodwill dominate,

free harmonies will disturb the pieces

and uproot self-centered self-censorship

Photo credit: http://goldengatexpress.org/2018/01/21/womens-march-attracts-college-students/

Thank you reading my post. Be brave and add your rhythms to the songs of freedom!
More to consider about algorithmic bias here: https://www.ted.com/talks/joy_buolamwini_how_i_m_fighting_bias_in_algorithms