I am my own person and live my life how I want.

I am not for everyone.

I am not your object. I am not perfect and I do not have to be.

I am powerful, resilient, and beautiful.

I am not your “baby.”

I am black art.

I am not a sex figure.

I am my own voice, no one speaks for me.

I am not your b**ch.

I am not your “black woke queen.”

I am not your fetish.

I am not a toy for you to play with when you get bored

I am not flawless.

I am not yours.

I am a human and I want to be treated like one.

This poem was created by the participants in VOX’s 2018 Girls Lock-in after a discussion about sexual harassment in the media and in our communities. 

Enjoy poetry?

Join VOX (for free!) at our Atlanta Word Works Youth Poetry Slam, Sat. March 17, 1-3:30 p.m. Register at bit.ly/artnotego2018.

To submit poetry to be published on VOXATL.com, email us your poem and original art piece at editor@voxatl.org. Be sure to include your name, age and school.