We ask: what art by artists of color sustains or inspires you? From Gregory J. Ford comes this answer.
As a little Black boy being “raised” in the Church of God in Christ, the 23rd Psalm was required memorization. The ancient Hebrew scripture that Black folks were permitted access to accurately described the contours of hope for the formerly enslaved and still terrorized people among whom I was born.
The scripture and the song derived from it is an affirmation that, as Theodore Parker (remembered and recalled by Dr. Martin Luther King) said: “The moral arc of the universe is long. But it bends towards justice. ”
One piece of music that sustains me is “The Lord is My Shepherd,” performed by New York City Community Choir. I play this song and I cook the supper and wash the dishes and cry and dance like hear King David did.
What poem, music, performance by artists of color inspire you? Share it in the comments below, or email us here.