**The future of the United States**
**Is a colorful transformation Becoming**
**the crayon slate of America**
**My skin is a primary**
**So intentionally**
**I raise my pastel hands even for**
**secondary hues**
**Being apart of this make up**
**Is what made up this land**
**From the dandelion swaths of Texas**
**To the aquamarine cast of Seattle and**
**the salmon tone of Miami**
**Inhale deep hearted breaths**
**Exhale over its geographic screen print**
**The united tint of America**
**is learning**
**to make a melting pots stretch**
**The cloths are cut from the**
**star spangled banner traditions they**
**informs our today**
**and innovates our tomorrow**
**Which actually**
**Presently**
**Makes us time travelers**
**Welcoming you to America's future**
**Is entering the mixture**
**of our own abstract**
**Tomorrow like today**
**we will bring out the beauty**
**of our sisters and brothers**
**Remember**
**we are 300 million crayon citizens**
**Even if melted**
**Stripped - shaven - broken**
**There's still value in our color**
**In the United Prisms of America**
**What’s seen as perfection**
**we shatter and together**
**dance to the remixed pieces**
**Capturing flawless is myth**
**With a smile like mine**
**You too would have reason to**
**wake up like this**
**So sleep well**
**Tomorrow be a brighter day**
**In the Crayola State of America**
**There still might be confinements**
**readied to meet your alignment**
**But You have the option**
**to let your life scribble**
**outside of them**
**\-Outspoken Bean**
**_Where and when did you set down to write Scribble? Was there a goal behind it, or just a creative outburst?_**
Scribble was written while I was on the metro Light Rail in the Near Northside neighborhood of Houston, Texas. I like to ride it to get inspiration also I love trains (I kind a have an obsession). I thought about what the American dream is meant to be and how people are using that idea to best benefit them. My goal was to be creative simply. To be creative in my messaging of Scribble. So I thought about how crayons are all in one box and even with their imperfections there's still value to them.
**_These are tough times to be thinking of the American Dream, your poem Scribble acknowledges that, but it leaves us with a sense of optimism overall for a better day in the future. Are you still feeling that?_**
Let me be honest, right now it’s kind of hard to see optimism if you only looking to the media for it. My optimism is seeing people work every day work hard on securing for their families, securing for other families in need, or just trying to better themselves. And I also feel if I feel that people have the power to build or self-generate optimism by doing the necessary work for others. It’s one thing to feel optimistic, but I’m thinking on how I can be a generator of optimism for others right now.
**_You are a poet and activist in your community. What role do you think poetry can have in activism and helping us through divided times?_**
Poetry is a tool like anything else. And as a performance poet I have multiple opportunities to use my tool right now. Poetry’s power is in how the tool is used. Just because you’re not a poet doesn't mean you can’t also speak that truth. The power of poetry is in the beholder. I like to think through the mentoring that I do using poetry as an avenue/toll with young people that in the long-form differences are being made. But, a lot of times the truth doesn’t have time to wait for tomorrow, it must be said now.
Watch and hear Outspoken Bean and Scribble in PBR's America Dreaming campaign below.
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Photos provided by artist
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