Fury And Faith [Russian translation]

You will be told that this is not a problem,

Not your problem.

You will be told that now is not the time for change to begin;

Told that we cannot win.

But the point of protest isn't winning —

It's holding fast to the promise of freedom,

Even when fast victory is not promised,

Meaning we cannot stand up to police

If we cannot cease policing our own imagination,

Convincing our communities that this won't work

Before the work has even begun,

That this can wait,

When we've already waited out a thousand suns.

By now, we understand white supremacy

and the despair it demands

Are as destructive as any disease.

So when you're told that your rage is reactionary,

Remember that rage is our right.

It teaches us it is time to fight

in the face of injustice.

Not only is anger natural but necessary

Because it helps carry us to our destination.

Our goal has never been revenge, just restoration;

not dominance, just dignity;

not fear, just freedom;

just justice.

Whether we prevail is determined

not by all the challenges that are present

But by all the change that is possible.

And though we be unstoppable,

If we ever feel like we might fail,

If we be fatigued and frail

When our fire can no longer be fueled by fury,

We will be fortified by this faith

Found in the vow, the anthem:

All black lives matter, no matter what!

Black lives are worth living,

Worth defending,

Worth every struggle.

We must stand up for all of us and our aims,

United through protest and pain,

Amplifying women, the LGBTQ community,

and people with disabilities.

Because none of us are free

Until all of us break our chains.

We owe it to the fallen to fight,

But we owe it to ourselves

To never stay kneeling

When the day calls us to stand together.

We envision a land

That is liberated, not lawless;

We create a future

That is free, not flawless.

Over and over, again and again,

We will stride up every mountain side,

Magnanimous and modest.

We will be protected and served

By a force that is honored and honest.

This is more than protest —

It's a promise!

• Artist:Amanda Gorman