Uhuru: The Freedom Project

Submission: “I Dream of Freedom” by Dianna L. Gunn

Danielle — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:26:37 +0000

A poem by Dianna L. Gunn, age 16, Toronto Canada. Miss Gunn has lived most of her life in Toronto. She is a young writer, called to her craft at the tender age of eight. In hopes to pursue a career in poetry and fiction writing, Gunn has been blogging for two years at http://fictionalworlds.net. She hopes to someday change the world with her writing.

I Dream of Freedom

I dream
of a day when
I will be free.

I dream
of a day when equality
is not just a lie told
to make society complacent
but a reality
for all men, women, children
of every age
and every race.

I dream
of a day when
around the world
slavery is over-
for real this time.

I dream
of a day
when every child
can have a chance
to enjoy their childhood.

I dream
of a day
when you can really
live off of minimum wage.

I dream
of a day
when children will not
be forced to work
nor be forced to fight.

I dream of equality.

I dream of freedom.

For everyone.

Submission: “Let’s Set Fire to the Walls of Tyranny” by Zack Cada

Danielle — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:21:20 +0000

A poem by Zack Cada, age 19, Portland, Oregon.

Let’s Set Fire to the Walls of Tyranny

Let’s set Fire

to the Walls of Tyranny

that cage us-

humans-

like lobsters in a

properly set trap,

we drown slowly

in our own homes,

forcing us to enjoy

living in these

uncomfortable jail-bars,

trying to ease our wailing

by giving us

Fake Fish Meat on hooks,

trying to snag our lips shut

but there’s still

our songs that can ring

sing songs of warning

of those hairy, fat hands that pull up the reel line

to harvest their foolish crop,

our lives,

merely delicious morsels

for drooling, greedy, hungry mouths

lined with rotten teeth,

whose poisonous saliva

forms the murky tidal world

we live in.

They’ve caught me,

but hopefully someone-

why not you-

will hear my song

and live a free life

before it’s too late

and you too are boiled alive,

forced to live

and die

in the basement

of the house with no locks

© Zack Cada

Uhuru at the NWCAT

Danielle — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:42:30 +0000

Recently it was announced that Uhuru was going to have a display at the Northwest Conference Against Trafficking. The conference went amazingly, the speakers were phenomenal, and we got a huge amount of support! Trafficking, you have probably heard, is the modern term for slavery. The conference addressed issues all over the world including domestic servitude, child soldiers, and forced prostitution to name a few. Among those attending were anti-trafficking organizations, missionaries, government officials, police officers, authors and newscasters, as well as hundreds of other guests. We are not the only ones fighting slavery!

I wanted to give you some pictures of the Uhuru booth just to show you how it all looks in person. We had business cards with some of your quotes on the back, a display board with Uhuru art and poetry, art pieces on the table, and the Uhuru Top 15 bound in a small book for visitors to read (Tasha’s angel poster served as the book cover).

Thanks everyone! Your submissions are really making a difference. Slavery is a 40 million dollar industry in our world today, but we can fight back. It doesn’t have to be this way. Click “read more” to see the pics of Uhuru at the NWCAT!

Me (Danielle) minding the Uhuru booth

Uhuru business cards with quotations

Uhuru display board of art and poetry

Tucker's art piece displayed above the candy!

Submission: “Hands” by Tucker McClaran

Danielle — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:31:55 +0000

A new art/illustration submission by Tucker McClaran, age 13. Click “Read More” to view full version.

Submission: Photography by Ricky

Danielle — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:32:14 +0000

Ricky is sixteen years old and incredibly talented with art. He’s already running his own website! These are three different amazing photographs Ricky submitted to Uhuru entitled “Let It Snow,” “Our Urban Days,” and “A Bright End.” Please click “read more” to view them!

All photos © DigitalRicky

New Page: Uhuru Top 15

Danielle — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:28:05 +0000

Hey everyone! You may have noticed there is a new page on the website called the “Uhuru Top 15.” We here in Oregon (me and the street team that helps me out) decided to vote on the site’s most popular and top-rated submissions to include in a short list of our top 15 “fan favorite” submissions. Check it out!

We love ALL of you and appreciate your hard work, your great hearts, and your willingness to put your work out there. Uhuru is not a competition! We just created the top 15 in order to honor some of our contributors and compile a list of works that represents what Uhuru is about the best. These works all display the theme of “freedom” in an incredible, innovative way.

And best of all, Uhuru is always getting bigger. Who knows? Soon we hope we’ll have enough entries for a top 30, top 50, or top 100!

Submission: “Dead Life” by Mikhail Hughes

Danielle — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:51:20 +0000

Here’s another wonderful art submission by 19-year-old Mikhail Hughes, also from Oregon. Below is a small version of the photo; to view it in its incredible full-size click “read more.

Submission: “By Monster By Man” by Kiley Warren

Danielle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:47:52 +0000

A poem by Kiley Warren, age 17, from Portland, Oregon.

By Monster By Man

I started by moving mountains, boulders, and bridges
Next, I transferred landscapes and continents atop my shoulders
I lifted fifty tons without a drop of sweat beneath my brow
I swam across two oceans without needing a second breath
I felt no stress as I carved and painted the emerald abyss
As I strutted round the corners of city and state I did not grow weary
I went decades without a mouth of food or a drip of water
When I faced the jungle monsters I trampled them, feeling no fear
Although near, I knew the evil entities of this world stood no chance
For my will was strong, I destroyed them with a glance
It was on my four hundredth birthday when I discovered my first grey hair
Time and structure had no meaning, they lacked significance, they were bare
Although generations came and went there were no connections I held dear
I am much too strong to stumble I am much too brave to fear
Then there came a woman, a fragile little doe
She had a will about her, she had places she would go
As I glanced down at her from six stories in the air
I felt my firm knees tremble and my stomach buckle from the glory
Low and behold within five seconds, my stature now less than one story
My eyes met hers and hers met mine and my ego slowly crumbled
The grey hairs sprouted, my arms grew flabby, and my bravery shrouded
However, in this tremendously pitiful projection I felt a feeling I never could have measured
I am in love, now I am human.

Submission: “Free” by Alyssa McPartland

Danielle — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:43:31 +0000

As you may have noticed, Uhuru hasn’t gotten a lot of art submissions lately! We’re really hoping to get our visual community more involved in this new year as well as all our awesome writers. So here’s a new art piece by my talented personal friend, Alyssa McPartland. Click “read more” to take a look!

Submission: “Submerging of an Empty Soul” by Jessica Page

Danielle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:48:54 +0000

A short fiction by Jessica Page.

Submerging of an Empty Soul

Freedom is a battle never won. For one day you are locked in chains, but the next you are locked in your mind. I left my home, my life, and for what? A chance at freedom. You know that stereotypical, chance at a life of my own sort of fleeing. I got that. But certainly I learned there was a price to pay. For I bid farewell to a man who loved me, in trade of a man who uses me. I gave up friends that cherished me, for a life of loneliness. Left a family who hurt me, for no family at all. It’s a concept that is hard to understand. For I left in my midst a land of familiarity, family, and friends, love and warmth, smiles and laughter. And now I reside in a land of rain and grey, sadness and lonely nights. I have one friend and he’s the most liberating thing I have yet to find. Yet he hurts me day in and day out. But beggers cant be choosers, so I put up with his garbage and reside in this slate colored hell.

So you may be wondering, why did you leave?! That I can explain to you with nearly as much passion as I have detailed my current hell. I wasn’t happy. I had dreams, and goals. I aspired to be the best I could and I knew that my home in the eastern Washington desert wasn’t where my desperate ambitions could find fresh soil and support in order to grow and prosper.

I fled to escape my past, only to find my future to be much more constricting. I need to break out of this shell, get out into the open and make friends, track down my happiness. It could be on the corner starbucks, or local grocery store. I just need to get out there, but first I must find my strength.