Artist Spotlight: Taiwana Shambley

Artist Statement
Peace, y’all! I’m Taiwana Shambley, a fiction writer and poet born and raised in Saint Paul. I’m passionate about the intersections of family, community justice and radical politics. I’m currently working on my debut novel. It follows the story of A’home, a time-traveling island-nation created by the freedom dreams of Black radicals. The following poem was inspired by the uprisings over the summer. Some of my other work can be found on The Academy of American Poets’ website and in Belt Publishing’s anthology Black In The Middle.
North End is White Supremacy and Has Been Since Before the Summer (a bop) Taiwana Shambley, executive editor hella american flags in my neighborhood and they mean what they’ve always meant borders don’t need to know my neighbors to know an opp when i see one and i didn’t even mention the Black boy. most the fires are across the river looks like white supremacists left us alone tonight but st paul police still knock like they pay bills what's the difference armed like we not Black this kickback global tell tin cup i like my breakfast with no pigs and i didn’t even mention the Black boy. we protest and throw voice at the capitol military letting off blanks looking like a bunch of symbolism til the sergeant say pretty words put cream in our coffee and everyone forgot about the Black boy.
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