RISE Above The Noise
By Team Kwanza Jones
It’s been more than a century since women were granted the right to vote and although we’ve made progress in advancing women’s rights, we still have a long way to go. Yes, we have our first female vice president. Yes, this year has also provided us milestones like Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson becoming our first Black female Supreme Court Justice which is a perfect example of what our boss Queen, Kwanza Jones, means when she says Queen Moves Only.
However, there is still so much work to be done. Think about it. Why are men still making decisions regarding women’s reproductive rights? Why is there still a 20% gap between men's and women’s earnings? We need to RISE together to make our voices heard.
It’s time to take a stand. That is why Kwanza Jones released her latest track titled, “RISE.” It is a call for us to take action.
If you've been keeping up with the Kwanzaverse, then you know that Kwanza does not stay silent in the face of inequity and injustice. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, she knew that she had to RISE up and use her voice to fight. For Kwanza Jones, “It felt like a gut punch.”
As Team Kwanza, we share the sentiment with her. Think about the role women play as healers in society. From inspiring future generations to chase their dreams, to finding peaceful solutions to problems, and advocating for compassionate and inclusive practices in various fields; women have long provided healing and hope in a world that hasn’t always given them a seat at the table. Our ancestors didn’t have the same luxury of opportunity we have today, yet they never let it stop them from fighting for the rights of future generations of women. Think of Madam C.J. Walker and the legacy she left behind. Walker paved the way for the “for us, by us” model. Think of Marsha P. Johnson, an advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969.
With so much progress throughout generations, how can we be taken back so far as to rip away women’s right to choose what they do or don’t do with their bodies?
In the lyrics of the song, Kwanza says: “It’s my body, it’s my choice. It’s my pen and it’s my voice. They don’t get to tell us nothing. We will RISE above the noise.”
José and Kwanza founded the Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Initiative with two overarching goals: boosting humanity and powering possibilities. They believe that boosting others and impacting change through four pillars of education, entrepreneurship, equity, and empowerment will be the catalysts to help provide access, knowledge, and connections.
In Kwanza’s commitment to boost a billion lives, we would like to use this song as a call to action for you to join us in standing up for what is right. For women’s rights.
Are you ready to RISE with us? Step or shut up. The power starts with you.
Remember the wise words of poet Nikki Giovanni: “The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure.
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