Brooklyn students' poignant poem celebrating Kamala Harris goes viral

Thursday, November 12, 2020

NYC students' poignant poem celebrating Harris goes viral

Kemberly Richardson has more on a poem celebrating Vice President-elect Kamala Harris that is going viral.

FLATBUSH, Brooklyn -- Kamala Harris is making history, changing the face of politics and empowering young girls everywhere, including a group of schoolgirls in Brooklyn, New York.

Principal Lakeasha Williams shared a video of students at PS 399 Stanley Eugene Clark School reciting an empowering poem after Harris became vice president-elect of the United States.

"Brown girl, brown girl. What do you see? I see a vice president that looks like me," recited the girls along with their teacher.

The verse is a take on the poem "Brown girl brown girl" by Lesle Honore.

Principal Williams shared the video on November 9, the first school day following the projected Biden-Harris win.

Kamala Harris is making history, changing the face of politics and empowering girls everywhere, including students in Brooklyn, New York. Principal Lakeasha Williams shared a video of schoolgirls reciting a poem after Harris became vice president-elect.

The video ends with the students lifting their hands in the air, chanting, "Congratulations, Kamala Harris!"

Williams said the powerful anthem for an entire generation of little girls is music to her ears.

"It just fit right in with the model and vision I have for our school: shine, shine, 399," Williams said.

She said she was surprised, but happy that her video went viral.

"Yes we focus on academics, but you have to also focus on social emotional learning and Culturally Responsive Education, so it's all part of what school represents in 2020," Williams said.

As for the poet, Honore said when she saw the video, she lost it and was thrilled. Like so many others, she doesn't underestimate the tremendous impact Harris is having on young women.

"It made me feel great, because it made me feel better about my skin color," one student said.

The Vice President-elect on Saturday acknowledged the history she made as the first woman to be elected to the office.

WATCH: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' full acceptance speech from Delaware Saturday night

Speaking from Delaware on Saturday, Nov. 7, Vice president-elect Kamala Harris paid tribute to Black women who "so often prove they are the backbone of our democracy."

"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities," Harris said in her first address to the nation as vice president-elect.

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