In the fall of 2021, I was commissioned to write a poem reflecting on the human experience of the Twin Cities community following the murder of George Floyd and the impact of COVID-19. More specifically, I was asked to look into the work we did as a community to hold one another up during that time. Us being mothers, brothers, activists, business owners, Pillsbury United Communities, philanthropists, children, elders, and everyone in between. “On Our Collective Power” was born of this invitation.

It was a moving experience. It resulted in a piece that is dear to my heart, marking a time that restored my faith in humanity after it had been stripped. While shooting the original video, we thought, “This is not our story alone; we must find a way to welcome more voices into this process— let’s make a community cut.” I put the call out, and the fantastic filmmakers (and my collaborators on this story), Acowsay Film Company, got to work.

Thank you to all who made this possible. The before-mentioned entities, their representatives, every single person who submitted a photo or video, whether it made the cut or not, and most importantly, everyone who extended themselves for the well-being of another during such a trying time for our community. I love you. I thank you. I see you. Peace to the ancestors. May justice always prevail.