Page 178 of The Black Flamingo

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Octavia E. Butler, Opal Tometi,

Patrik-Ian Polk, Patrisse Cullors,

Paula Varjack, Rhys Hollis,

Rikki Beadle-Blair, Roxane Gay,

RuPaul, Rudy Loewe,

Saeed Jones, Samira Wiley,

Sapphire, Skin,

Staceyann Chin, Stephen K. Amos,

Syd, Tarell Alvin McCraney,

Thomas Glave, Topher Campbell,

Tracy Chapman, Travis Alabanza,

Wanda Sykes, Yrsa Daley-Ward,

and of course our very own

‘Em-zed-zed, you can call me Mzz B!’

Your art and activism have inspired me

to stand on this stage and feel free.”

Faces appear one by one

on the screen behind me,

all the people I mentioned.

I gesture toward them

and exit into the wings.

There is a pause

before the applause begins.

Sienna’s whooping is joined

by many more voices

and there’s a huge cheer, as Mzz B

comes on, their photo projected behind them,

to announce the intermission.

I go into the audience

to greet my friends. Sienna and Lennie

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