“Silenced,” by Winston Sun

I get it
I’m crazy, I’m mad, I’m pissed
But in order to live, I have to fight and stand up for this This hate that’s been thrown
The words that have seared me
It’ll burn me down like they did to the Asian community 13-year-old boys set her on fire
Almost burnt her to death
That’s why I’m scared for my grandmother
Can’t drive, can’t see, can’t speak
Or we’ll get beaten
Head to the knee
They’ve silenced us
Won’t let us be
Can’t buy some groceries
Because we seem like a threat
George Floyd 46 choked to death
Was 20 dollars worth a life at rest?
We chant for equality
A chance to be
Something more than a danger to society
So I’m sorry if you can’t seem to see
The justice system does not fight for me

Winston Sun is 14 years old attending 8th grade at the Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Winston showed his early interest in social issues such as global climate change and earned second place for his environmentally-focused artwork and poetry for the Whitpain Township Annual Earth Day celebration in 2017 and 2018. As a second generation American whose parents were immigrants from Taiwan and inspired by recent movements such as “Black Lives Matter” and “Stop Asian Hate”, Winston’s interest has turned to racial inequality issues and unrest in the society. He co-founded the Middle-School People of Color Club with his classmate Jazziah Manning at the Germantown Academy in the Spring of 2021. Besides these extracurricular activities, Winston enjoys cooking, baking, and doing gardening work with his family.