Call Me Woke

Woke...

Are you woke?

Am I woke?

The word woke has somehow become a slur, an insult, a criticism.

Every time I hear the word used in this manner, I roll my eyes. I have to wonder if people really understand what they're criticizing or even what the word is intended to mean.

Let's start with a simple definition of woke - awake, aware, conscious. The opposite of this would be asleep, unaware, unconscious. So I'm supposed to be insulted by being called awake, aware, conscious. Really? 

Well, call me woke... I'll wear the label proudly!!

Now, to be a little less general.

When criticizing the idea of being woke, most people seem to be referring to people who are aware or seek to be aware of injustices, inequalities, and vitriol in order to address the consequences for those affected in order to make necessary changes to create a more just, more equal, and more accepting world. Wow! And, there are people who think people should be ashamed of being woke. Really? Are they serious?

Again... Call me woke! Please!!

Personally, I strive to be woke! I seek education, truth, and justice. Learning, doing the hard work, and making the hard decisions is how we move the needle toward the equality, the justice, the acceptance that makes the world a better place.

Call me woke!

I prefer real history over romanticized history. I prefer fact over fiction. I prefer science over belief. I prefer love over hate. I prefer justice over injustice. I prefer equality over oppression. I prefer clean air over polluted air. I prefer understanding over rigidity. I prefer democracy over autocracy. I prefer accountability over corruption. I prefer acceptance over intolerance. I prefer diversity over homogeneity. I prefer inclusivity over exclusivity.

Call me woke!

I prefer companies that are environmentally friendly, responsible for their actions, diverse, and care about their workers - all their workers not just their executives.

Call me woke!

I am still learning on my wokeness journey, but I hope to become increasingly woke as I travel through life. I am imperfect, but I am open to learning. I am open to doing better.

Call me woke!

I am more concerned about falling short in my wokeness than about being criticized for being woke.

So... Yeah... Once again... 

Call me woke...Please!


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To learn more about me and my work, please visit my website. To be notified when I publish new work, follow me on Amazon.

T. L. Cooper is an author and poet whose work aims to empower and inspire through an exploration of the human condition. Her poems, short stories, articles, and essays have appeared online, in books, and in magazines. Her published books include a collection of short stories, Soaring Betrayal, her Silhouette Poetry Series, and a novel, All She Ever Wanted. She grew up on a farm in Tollesboro, Kentucky. She currently lives in Albany, Oregon with her husband and three cats.

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