I am young and fierce; I am tall and strong;

To some I am feared, and they say I don't belong;

Yet I have a place on earth, and I have a voice;

I was assigned at birth; I am God's choice.

The color of my skin it's not pearly white,

But when I smile, my smile is bright;

I walk in a room and command attention;

I'm a black man, in case I didn't mention;

I was created in love and for God's glory,

I am a black man and this is my story,

If I walk the streets late, I am a thug,

If I wear fine clothes, I sell drugs.

If I walk in a neighborhood other than mine,

I am a troublemaker, about to commit a crime,

If I wear a hoodie, they'll assume I have a gun,

They can open fire, but I'm guilty if I run.

When I was small, they thought I was cute,

Now I am strong and tall, they're ready to shoot,

Their goal is to kill me, it's called "Stand your ground"

But this is not God's will for me, and I won't back down

In the eyes of a black man; the prize I hold dear

The vision I have to become an engineer;

That's how I plan to re-educate this nation,

A proud young black man redefining his generation.