Royce Mann, a 14-year-old boy from Atlanta, has won a school poetry competition with a poem titled “White Boy Privilege.” The presentation at The Paideia School in Atlanta has gone viral and could not have come at a more complicated time in America with the rise of Black Lives Matter, and the problematic relationship between police officers and some communities.
In under four minutes, the teenager was able to address all these nuances and even took on the role of women in society. They still make less money, and this great country has yet to elect one female president in over 240 years. The poem is brutal and honest, and the young boy even says that he is not ready to trade his privileges for the burdens of being from a poor class like black, Asian, women, and immigrants, those who came here searching for a better life.
With young voices like Mann, there are reasons to be hopeful about a more inclusive and perfect future. If that is too upbeat, at least he sparked a conversation for one day or one week. Every little bit counts in the battle for the soul of our future as a nation.
What are your thoughts on Royce Mann’s “White Boy Privilege” poem?
