Yall, I am tired.

I am tired of so many things.

I am tired of hate. I am tired of prejudice. I am tired of oppression. I am tired of profiling. I am tired of privilege. I am tired of scare tactics. I am tired of racism.

I am tired of conversations about why Colin Kaepernick chose kneeling during the National Anthem as a form of peaceful protest. I am tired of debates about why Kap is not on an NFL team. We all know why. I am tired of discussions about the flag. I am tired of telling people that are so pro-flag that they should scale a flag pole the next time they see one flying while it is raining. Flag code violation. I am tired of dialogue saturated with demands. I am tired of of people “wagging the dog” every time the narrative takes a turn back to its original intent.

Listen.

I have not watched an NFL game in two weeks. Yes, I knew almost immediately that the blue team in Dallas got Aaron Rodgersed again because it was all over the internet. But that is not my point.

It is no secret that I love football and it is no secret that I love watching professional football. However, I have been beyond disappointed to see so may players take the bait when it was dangled in front of them.

And please do not get me started on some of these owners.

But let me get back on track.

Listen.

I am a relatively calm person. I do not let a lot of things or people get under my skin. I have enough purposeful projects in rotation that I do not have extra time to spend being concerned about what people think about the things I do or do not do.

But here lately, nothing grinds my gears more than someone trying to tell me or another person who looks like me when, where and how we should think, speak, sleep, tweet, demonstrate or voice our opinions.

This is not Sesame Street. And we are not your puppets.

I/we have every right to think how I/we want to think. Speak when I/we want to speak, sleep when I/we want to sleep, tweet what I/we want to tweet, demonstrate how I/we want to demonstrate and voice our opinions about topics that matter to us.

The First Amendment that so many get in their feelings about guarantees us that right. It guarantees it for you too.

The difference is I/we am/are seeking change and many are seeking to hold me/we back. There are many people who do not want me/we to continue tapping into the power reserve that resides inside of me/us. There are many who want me/we to just be obedient to their demands. There are many who just want me/we to be satisfied with where I/we am/are and with what I/we have.

It makes me laugh.

So let me tell you about me.

I may be tired but I am a fighter.

I want love to reign.

I want peace to prevail.

I want comprehension to be ongoing.

I will fight for justice.

I will fight for equality.

I will fight for truth.

I will not be silenced.

I will be heard.

I may bend but I will never break.

I am the granddaughter of a Montford Point Marine.

Google it.

He passed that DNA on to me.

I do not want to talk anymore.

I want to see results because actions speak louder than words.

And even though I am tired, I refuse to give up.

Or be quiet.

Or give in.

I was crafted for the long haul.

And I am not going anywhere.