Why should I live up to a life of expectations because of the color of my skin
Why should I live up to a stereotype because I’m an African American male
Why should I be expected to drop out when times get hard and I began to fail
Why should I be expected to pick up a gun or sale drugs all because I grew with a less fortunate
family
Why should I?

Why should I be looked upon as a person that sits in the back of the classroom because of my
skin pigment
Why should I be looked upon as a person that doesn't take life seriously because I was told there
is no hope for me in the real world
Why should I be accused of stealing all because I look suspicious to someone that has never seen
me before
Why should I give a damn what you think?
Why should I?

What I should do and will do is not listen to the people that say I will not achieve
I will try my best at anything I set my mind to if only I believe
I will not become another person in a bad statistic
I will be optimistic and dream big
That is what I will do