Being Black And Loud Is Necessary, One Poet Demands

Black voices should never be silenced. This was April Wells' message in her poem "Loud Voices," which she performed at the Get Lit Classic Slam in Southern California. The teen shunned the notion that black people are better off biting their tongues than addressing injustices.

"I didn't understand why silence was in my blood but just because my ancestors couldn't say anything didn't mean I wouldn't speak up for myself," the teen said, referencing black slaves.  "They say black people are meant to be loud and that's OK because I have something to say; this voice has the ability to move mountains."

Wells urges her audience that it's time to speak up, mentioning Eric Garner, Michael Brown and other black people who've been killed by racial injustice in America. She offers using your voice as a solution.

"There is no excuse to take away one more voice," she said. "This can't be the land of the free and home of the brave only for some."

Head over to Button Poetry's YouTube  or Kickstarter  pages to learn more about them.

 Also on HuffPost: