The Princess of Her People

They think they own us. They think we are property. They think we are nobodies. I come to tell my people. We are free. We are something. We are able. We are mighty. For I am your princess, Yoli. As Yoli exclaimed at a classroom protest. She was the daughter of chiefs and princesses of Africa. She was tired of the oppression. She was fed up with the lies and maltreatment. She was hurt over the inhumanity. She would fight back tears as guns were pointed at her fellow classmates. She would fight back tears as she saw the struggle was real. Her home, her school, her job, and her country were at war with her people. And this was just the beginning, she would see more and more atrocities. Yet she refused to back down. She refused to give in. She refused to be afraid. She was a Queen in waiting and a verified Princess of her People.

I will not linger. I will not faint. I will not back down. I am ready. We are ready to defend our rights. We are ready to be somebody. We are ready to do justice. We are ready to move forward. We are greater than oppression. We are greater than suppression. We are greater than illusions. Our hopes are bright. Bright as the day and we refuse to back down. And the student followers begin to do Zulu dances. She begin to shout in Zulu tongue and Zulu languages. They were ready to cause an uproar for justice. They were ready to die for their cause. They were ready to live out their true meaning. And the police came locked up the student leaders including Yoli. Each of them had to be interrogated in South Africa, each of them separated and chained like animals. Yet Yoli encouraged them behind prison. We must not back down. We must not give in. We must not be weary. We know we have the final say. Our strength is powerful together not divided. We have a just cause. We have a just purpose. The officers asked each student leader the same questions. Do you know what you are doing? Do you know what you have done? Do you know it will interfere with your schooling? Do you know you will be sentence? Do you know your upcoming career may be ruin? Each student leader did what they were trained by the South African Leadership Congress. They held their faces without smile. They looked away and refuse to make eye contact. They ignore the officers. They were angry but hesitate to act. Except Yoli she spoke I didn't start this. You started this. You oppressed my people since the beginning. You took their livelihood and made it misery. You took their goods and claim them as your own. You took their hardwork and made it burdensome. I give no pity because you had no pity. I love school. I love my friends. I love my family but what you have done goes beyond repair. We want justice. We want equality. We want freedom. We want respect. We want hope. We want everything you promise to yours like we are suppose to get. And the officers reply So you think you can change hundreds of years of history in one moment. You think all these protests are gonna do anything. We are the law. We are the government. I'll tell you what you gonna do. You are gonna go back to that school and learn. Or spend the rest of your natural lives in prison.

And Yoli held out her hands with the others, keep us here. Then the officers after weeks of withholding the students got a call from the leader of the South African Leadership Congress stating that they will boycott and protest every day until you bring their children back. They will tear through the jail and hold every officer accountable. And the president of South Africa will know. The ward agreed and let the students off on a violation. Yoli and the students waited in handcuffs smiling to themselves in the police vans. And when they were released at the school with their parents. Yoli shouted Never underestimate power. Power is not in the hand of the few but in the hand of the many.