I Am, I Am Not

I Am, I Am Not
a poem by a 6th grader I know

I am American
strong and proud.
Devoted to this country,
I always root for the American team.

I was born here,
lived here all my life.
Never slept anywhere else.
Never loved a place as much.

I am not American
ancestors are Chinese.
Hints of them in my life,
happy to be different.

I love Chinese things.
Food is delicious,
clothes are beautiful.
Disappointed at some American things.

I am both,
American and not.
Proud and disappointed,
loving and not.

My Dream

My Dream
by Eunice Akoth

Eunice Akoth is a 6th grader at an all girls school in Kibera, a slum of Nairobi. She recited this poem on stage at the Women in the World Annual Summit in 2015. Watch the whole video, it's amazing.

Every mighty king was once a crying baby!
Every great tree was once a tiny seed!
Every tall building was once in paper!
And so I dream my dream.


Read more here.