Julie Feng – Danielle Brown

This is a creative collaboration by two University of Washington students, featuring the poetry of Danielle Brown (PhD in Geography) and the digital art of Julie Feng (MA in Cultural Studies). In response to our world’s tumultuous reckonings towards Black liberation, Danielle and Julie hope to uplift imagery of Black resilience while spotlighting grief that Black resilience is even necessary. This duality is shown by portraits of Danielle in her nuanced queendom and a tribute to Breonna Taylor.

As a Black woman
I am strong
And please don’t get me wrong
I love being called
A Strong Black Woman

But does this label mean
That if I am ever sad
And have to weep
That I am weak?

And what does weak even mean?
Because if it means
the lack of physical strength
being intrinsically feeble, fragile, and frail
then I am obviously not that

But if it means being unable to sustain
much weight, pressure, or strain
than honestly at times I feel
as feeble as a lonely leaf
of a deciduous tree
torn away from its resting place
being carried in the wind
on a cold autumn day

Necessary yet underacknowledged
At times it feels as if the world is hacking at my feet
Trying to destroy the roots my ancestors planted within me
trough passed down memories
I guess the logic goes,
pick me apart in order to feed their fiery dreams
But honeybee I am not a deciduous tree
with parts of me falling off
shedding my being once daylight diminishes and the Fall frost returns

I am a Black Queen, a true evergreen, solid and stable
Survival in both the light and darkness is what I am known for
Equipped to withstand the racist storms
I may falter, but here I remain, stronger than ever before

Danielle Brown