Ariana Brown Poems: Exploring Identity and Social Justice

Poetry has always been a powerful medium for expressing emotions, beliefs, and political ideas. One poet who beautifully captures the essence of personal identity and social justice in her work is Ariana Brown. Her poems resonate deeply with readers, inviting them to ponder the complexities of their own experiences and challenge societal norms. In this article, we will explore some of Ariana Brown's most compelling poems, delving into the themes of identity, race, gender, and the pursuit of equality.

Ariana Brown - A Voice for the Marginalized

Ariana Brown, an Afro-Mexicana poet, performer, and educator, uses her art to shed light on the experiences of marginalized communities. Her work delves into the interconnectedness of identity and societal constructs, engaging with both personal narratives and broader social issues. Through her poems, Brown tackles topics of racism, privilege, oppression, and the search for a sense of belonging.

1. "Inhale"

In her poem "Inhale," Ariana Brown invites readers to explore the complexities of their own racial identity. With powerful imagery and vivid language, she delves into the internal struggle of living in a racially stratified society. Brown brilliantly portrays the frustration of being reduced to stereotypes and the deep-rooted desire for self-acceptance. The poem prompts us to question how race influences our interactions with others and illuminates the importance of embracing one's heritage.

```
Inhale
Ariana Brown

i crack the blinds open the light like
a matador’s cape; the bloodhounds pounce
their target: black.

my father on the far edge of our brown family
has all the last names we remember,
and my mother maintains american citizenship
by continuing to call the best country in the world
home.

my ears ring with red blood of a spanish prayer:
blessed are you queen of the universe
who distinguishes between the day and the night

hymns ring against the white walls of this blackness:
oh, purple pilgrim
i celebrate the pigment of your cuticle
rocking back and forth
it’s all just dna
i itch at the gross order of things
black, brown, black, white, black, white
are the crayons
my proper noun hands
reasoning about the one drop rule
repeating like an echo through plantation creole?

i close the blinds
i close out the light
i breathe black
i breathe brown
i breathe black
```

2. "Dear White Evangelicals"

In "Dear White Evangelicals," Ariana Brown delivers a powerful message acknowledging struggles faced by people of color within religious communities. Through poignant and direct language, she addresses the hypocrisy and inconsistencies surrounding racial equality within evangelical spaces. Brown challenges the audience to confront their complicity in perpetuating systems of oppression, urging them to reconsider their faith and make a genuine commitment to social justice.

```
Dear White Evangelicals
Ariana Brown

i am the faithless, brown girl in the backyard
with scars on my knees
from secrets i would tell
to the earth if it had ears
& believed in anything

i am the charcoal feminine
born from an empty belly
& raised by the love of women

i am sunday’s chicken
island rice & fried plantain
honoring diaspora
upon ironed tablecloth

i am a buttered biscuit
wove into granite kitchens
singing & sipping
from my mother’s flask

i am blueshirt dancer
giving my hips to memory
in doorways i can’t open
without you forcing them

i am massive tradition
sparkling at the corners
of ripped up photos
tacky-glued, stapled together

i am my mother & your mother
& the witch of agua dulce
who will not stop speaking
until you learn to love home

i am warmth & honey
shiny penny left in the dryer
curling around cotton shirts
& 25 cent mimosas at el-pa-raiso
```

3. "Skinny Black Woman Speaks"

In "Skinny Black Woman Speaks," Ariana Brown discusses body image and the way society perpetuates beauty standards that exclude and marginalize. With her distinct voice and raw vulnerability, Brown dismantles harmful stereotypes and celebrates the resilience and beauty of black women. This poem serves as a reminder of the importance of self-acceptance and embracing one's own unique beauty.

```
Skinny Black Woman Speaks
Ariana Brown

the tall girl hates her body
but the tall girl always wanted a body like yours
her mother taught her that big isn’t beautiful
that wide is nothing more than wasteful

and have you seen your waist
how it don’t tuck like it should?
it’s okay to trade ribs for a smaller waist
it’s okay to feel sharpness against your skin

my darling, you exist to be the essence of femininity
so please, be thin
don’t you ever get comfortable in your own skin

i know it’s hard
being this
being the antithesis of what desirable looks like
but you have to build up walls
you must be so fragile

so that when they touch you
you don’t lose yourself
like the weight you should shed

you toiled to make your skin impenetrable
to scrape yourself lean

to stubbornly say
this is who i am
this is who i am

who am i if i’m not a shadow?
who will love me if i’m not small?

who am i if i don’t belong?
i don’t belong

and this is what they teach us

my darling, don’t you know you deserve love
even when you hoard in your belly?
don’t you know you are enough
even when calcium coats your silhouette?
don’t you know?
```

Ariana Brown's poems leave a lasting impact on readers, inspiring them to confront their own biases, challenge societal norms, and advocate for change. Through her powerful words, she dismantles stereotypes, amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, and encourages self-acceptance. Brown fearlessly explores the complexities of identity and rejects the notion that society's standards define an individual's worth. Her poems provide a platform for understanding, empathy, and the pursuit of social justice. By delving into the themes of identity, race, gender, and the pursuit of equality, Ariana Brown has cemented her place as a thought-provoking and influential poet in the realm of contemporary literature.