Part A: Creative Work (Poem) and Artist Statement
“Echoes of Justice”
On streets that interrupted silence as thinly as shattered glass.
Voices rose, a tide amassed.
For the lack of dignity received, for the lives lost.
Where justice also rotted in the dark.
All face a story, each name a plea,
In solidarity, they claimed to be free.
This made them limited by the faith of a bright
They march, they fought in a ceaseless night.
Those echoes have remained in people’s heart and mind
This film is something to prove that all sorts of justice to find
Black lives matter, a slogan, an orientation.
For equal treatment in everything that should go along.
They have the courage, they pave the way
For new beginning where hope can stay
A future of sacrifices, wounds and scars
Beneath the roof for better same stars.
My poem “Echoes of Justice” is motivated by the Black Lives Matter or BLM movement constitution as a social concern that has called for justice and equity in the black community. This movement affirms Catholic Social Thought (CST) principles especially the dignity of the human person and solidarity. In the course of the area of study where we analyze various forms of injustices within communities, these principles apply as core principles that can be applied to eradicate such injustices within communities and uphold human dignity.
It looks at the plight of minorities and voices of the Black Lives Matter protests that continue to seek equality for black people. The first line, ‘Each face a story, each name a plea’ refers to the aspect of personalism in CST whereby each person’s life matters; the second line ‘Bound by the faith in a future bright,’ denotes hope or optimism, which is part of the CST virtue of solidarity.
Moreover, like any literary work, the pamphlet can be analyzed from the point of view of its structure, which in this case is the transition from suffering to hope, or in terms of Ubuntu, discussed in Module 2a, which focuses on the connection of people and separate individuals. The last verse draws the reader a picture of societal living founded on dignity; another CST tenet pegged on the dignity of every person.
About this poem, my desire is to promote one’s philosophical pondering on the aspects of the given society that we all bear for and the possibilities that are opened by joining hands for justice and equality.
Part B: Written Reflection on Social Crisis (Black Lives Matter)
Black Lives Matter is a global movement and significant reaction against the racism and police brutality experienced by black people all over the world, but mostly in America. This social issue highlights the peoples’ need for justice, the governments’ transparency and thorough change of systems that favor race discrimination. As a movement advocating for justice and human rights for the black people, BLM deems with CST – especially the dignity of the human person and solidarity. Through my learning experience with the UNCC100 unit, I have been able to assess the BLM movement from CST perspective and show how the principles within this theory can be used as a way of justifying the adverse social justice systems. This reflection will discuss how principles of Catholic social teaching and topics covered in the UNCC100 module relate to BLM movement including their implications for community and professional practice in disciplines that promote social justice and equality (Li, 2022).