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A young man holds a protest sign at a Black Lives Matter march..
Photo by Mike Von on Unsplash

To those who have an ear let them hear:

A VOICE of defiance from the next generation of society’s victim of recidivism;

a VOICE on the other side of the spectrum where color bears no significance but Black Lives Matter more than criticism;

a VOICE longing for reciprocation from anyone schooled by the amazingly miseducated Lauryn Hill;

an incendiary but instrumental VOICE fueled by Malcolm and tuned by Tupac, you feel me?

a VOICE meant to be spoken in unison with a chorus of a chosen few warriors and revolutionaries;

a VOICE that knows no boundaries even from within the confines of a spiritual cemetery;

a VOICE so cool that is resonates through the crevices of Chicago’s icy veins;

an angry but respectful VOICE filled with an insatiable passion for change;

a VOICE of independence — unchecked, unchained and unrelenting.

To those who have an ear let them hear:

a VOICE. Of. TOTAL. EMPOWERMENT!

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Lorenzo Michael Hall Jr. is a writer incarcerated in Illinois.