'Radical Brownies'

Oakland's 'Radical Brownies'

Long ago when I was green
I had a dream
A dream of being a Brownie
Long ago that dream
Didn't, couldn't fit
The dusty closet
That housed me

Long ago I dreamed
in closed circles
Afraid to be 'seen'
Confused about
Being Filipino
And Hawaiian
Oh, the Chinese ?
Good with money right

Long ago the dream
to be a Brownie
lived along-side
All the destinations
Of distraction:
Teach a little, move a lot
Climb a corporate ladder

Long ago the badges
mounted, weighed me down
but who could know
that later, oh so much later
I would find a place
when a Filipino-Hawaiian-Chinese
'Brownie' spied an old, old dream
come true.

The 'other city' by the Bay
has room and space
for that dream.

Oakland by the Bay
has room and space
for 'Radical Brownies'
who do FACEBOOK
and aim at fundraising
for a banner and ... a megaphone!

I had a dream, and it came true in Oakland!