Author Statement

I took a cyber holiday for a few days — I had to. I’m exhausted.

This morning I woke up, opened LinkedIn, not sure what I’d write. And there you were, Nneka Allen — my professor, my reminder, my mirror.

You are a gift. You are powerful. You are someone I will always lean in to listen to.

You remind us that education is love in action —
You teach people to be anti-racists.
I teach people to end child sexual violence.

Different paths, same heartbeat: creating a world rooted in justice, healing, and courage.

In honour of your essay “Brave, Not Safe!”, I wrote you this poem.

Thank you, Nneka—you reminded me of me today.

P.S. This is only the third poem I’ve ever written in my life. I may just be discovering a new love. 💛
P.S.S. This might be spoken word. I don’t know anything about these poetry rules. I just write what I feel. But it hits me in the heart and my true brain, my gut to speak these words. So you decide, I really don’t know what you want.