It’s Not Easy

By Erin Evertsz

It’s not easy to be a person in a town you grew up in

Being gay isn’t a choice

I didn’t wake up one day and say,

“Hey I’m gonna be gay from now on”

It was given to me since birth

It gave me a few years to figure it out

Dating boys because I was in denial of the truth

My brothers and sister who were victims

The Stonewall…. a place to be themselves

Bullied by cops, soon stood up to them to fight for their rights

It wasn’t easy

Being black isn’t a choice

I didn’t wake up and say,

“Hey I’m gonna be black today”

I’m proud to be black

Our history just shows how strong we are

It took generations to get where we are

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rosa Parks

Harriet Tubman

All fought for the rights of black people

We still don’t get that much respect

Our…life, it wasn’t easy

It’s not easy being black and gay

When people don’t accept who you are

Whether you’re a different color

Whether you’re a different sexuality

It’s not easy being a stranger in a new town.

“It’s Not Easy” was published in Listening to the Trees, a collection of social justice poems with students from the High School of Fashion Industries in 2016. Help support the unique voices of our young authors by sharing their stories and making a donation! To receive notices about opportunities for your child, sign up for our youth writing opportunities newsletter.