Student Performs Powerful Poem About Identity

Joshua Abah, a student of TFA alum Clint Smith (D.C. '11), performs his poem entitled Uncle Sam at the 1st Annual Alumni Awards & Educators conference in Detroit, MI.
To learn more about Teach For America's alumni resources, visit:
www.teachforamerica.org/corps-...
To learn more about Clint Smith (Josh's poetry teacher), visit:
/ cwardsmith

[@ShanePsoinos]

Amazing. This kid needs more recognition.

[@Marc85]

Here because Beyoncé in Black is King used his quote “ When it’s all said and done, I don’t even know my own native tongue,”. “And if I can’t speak myself, I can’t think myself. And if I can’t think myself, I can’t be myself. And if I can’t be myself, I will never know me. So Uncle Sam, tell me this: If I will never know me, how can you?”. Thought that was amazing and wanted to here more

[@revive_oclock]

This is goooold!! 😭😭😭 So touching! We need to see more young men and women PROUD to be Africans

[@kaycas6554]

absolute chills.

[@richardeduardoscott7647]

Didn't really understand but this guy is fantastic as an actor and yes! He needs more recognition!

[@marioculcasi]

Flowing wellness hug from within ✊🏽💙

[@aanisahwilliams3611]

I love this

[@alkebulanafrika6459]

powerful. i got the whole story.....isssh....you know the whole world except that which matters the most....touching line bouyx

[@olien333]

The canceling and restriction of language and therefore thought is a giaaant point in 1984 by George Orwell, and yet some people still can’t see it

[@1XclusiveFBA]

This has depth 🥺

[@monaekevonna11]

you are amazing!

[@mixbych]

This young man made me question my own identity as a biracial women who grew up in a white family. Society sees me one way, while I identify as another.

[@khetiletijana109]

How do you identify as?

[@chiomaumeojiako-okoye1514]

Well done...!!!

[@Ltaiii-tv3wb]

I love this ♥️

[@1995Rebel]

amazing and very relatable stuff dude. I wish I knew my native language as well.

[@ogundekorapheal996]

whaooo! eggs of word were really broken here! Good job man..

[@mackwoods186]

I felt this. I mean, it's different, but my dad was born and raised in Italy and never taught me any of his culture/ the language, so I always feel a bit like a fake when I say I'm Italian or when I'm by his family. My mom's from the country, but I grew up in the suburbs, so while my cousins can claim certain things, I'm stuck between. Too American for my dad but not country enough for my mom.

[@catedoge3206]

Powerful.

[@lilybomb499]

I couldn't relate more

[@abdulgafarlateef2451]

I had recreated this and still wasn’t as amazing as yours fam ❤️‍🔥

[@meronsemere9691]

woah!

[@autumnt4713]

yes

[@Blakkbarbii101]

I love this, but the part about teaching children English first, I was the opposite. African first then English. They will learn in school easily as I did. Culture is important and my children will be the same way God willing.

[@proverbalizer]

African is language?

[@kundaimudzingwa1426]

great

[@mykealbellingham3437]

👏 👍 ) please don't ever stop #expressing you're points of expression.

[@iliasuabass2025]

WOW

[@teacherpaul8953]

fire..

[@jenalamukonda8649]

I looooove this 🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@sibusisogama4198]

The people who gave him thumbs down is hurting

[@joshuaodongo6268]

wooooow

[@sarah2thewrld]

thrills.

[@mitchinyauja]

goosebumps

[@marioculcasi]

Deep breath 💙

[@thabangmatsepe2185]

Wow

[@kojiedits4363]

Listening to this for class lol... its was good tho

[@dazzamiles8379]

This shit was too fire

[@liceysgisthouse5897]

My story 😩✅. Weldon dear ✊🏿

[@marrriiee]

📖✍🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@doniachavis3301]

Anyone else here from Black Is King?

[@marioculcasi]

Never forget the one truth we are coming from 🙏🏽💙⚓✊🏽😌💯🔱🌹😘🐘🦋💎

[@Innerbeautyy1]

I watched this video when I was in school 🔥✨❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹

[@jackeades7054]

Does this video have a transcript?

[@TeachForAmerica]

There is no transcript but thank you for your interest and for viewing!

[@Zayclutchinn]

Goo

[@NejatAli14]

What poem is this?

[@casparkoburg5687]

Does anyone have the lyrics?

[@josephjohn825]

Are you kidding me. This guy is from Benue State, Nigeria 😳. The same with me

[@MsTonyaTV]

1Love

[@tinashemukarati5106]

Does "Student" have a name we could search for online?

[@SaaduddinUbaidah]

If you check the description it say the student's name

[@ttm5191]

Joshua Abah, graduate of Parkdale High School in Riverdale, Md. He was apart of Lykrikal Storm at the time under the tutelage of Neville Adams and Clint Smith. #pgcps2012

[@mayaennis8697]

Does anyone know his name and if he performs other pieces?

[@carltonbanks2351]

Joshua Abah

[@mayaennis8697]

@@carltonbanks2351 Thank you!

[@brittanysievenpiper3445]

So...his family didn't teach him his native language? But he knows both English and Spanish...

[@jhanatemast1659]

They taught him English first then they were supposed to teach his native language but it would have been hard also he learnt Spanish in school as a subject. When they got around to teaching him his native tongue he was already disconnected with who he was and confused (this is mostly assumptions)

[@kaileemccain1416]

where youre from is Spanish a required course? Majority schools in America have Spanish as a required course and African languages arent even an option

[@ambermcgregor]

Powerful.

[@marrriiee]

📖✍🏿👏🏿👏🏿