“To whom it may concern, I am not angry. 

But it is hard to be heard when all backs are turned towards you.

So, I raise my voice to get through the invisible barrier between me and you. 

But, you don’t hear me do you?”

In a world filled with hate, racism, and injustice, it can be difficult for African Americans to express their opinions without immediately being labeled as angry or violent. This spoken word, written by Emerie Eddins, is a form of artistic expression used to inform people of the stereotypes and assumptions made towards people of color in today’s society.

The North Penn African American Allies Club, AAAC, hosted their annual Black History Month performance. Formerly known as Colors of Pride, this year’s Black History Showcase was titled “To Whom It May Concern”. The performance highlighted many North Penn students who shared talents such as spoken word, skits, and step routines, to help spread awareness of many of the problems African American people face today.

“We each have different aspects in our day-to-day lives that we want to convey and bring attention to. Affirmative Action being a very current issue along with the microaggressions presented in the skit, step routine, and the hair segment. Real issues we’re presented with every single day. All of the things we included are based off of things we’ve experienced,” Social Media Coordinator and Officer, Avery Brown explained. “We are asked those things, we are treated like ‘thugs’ or ‘ghetto’, and we are called ‘pretty for a black girl.’ We really want people to remember and notice the fact that while it may not happen to you, it happens.”

AAAC has dedicated months to perfecting this performance, in an attempt to share with members of the North Penn community the severity of the racism and inequality they continue to face on a daily basis.

“As a club, we’ve been working on this since the fall. Carina and Yordonos came to me and the other officers and talked about the entire theme of ‘To Whom It May Concern’. I loved it and we sort of rushed right into it following the Thanksgiving break. It’s taken a lot of work and a lot of patience that I don’t think most people recognize,” Brown shared. 

Due to the diversity of the North Penn School District, there is an abundance of different races and cultures within the community. Although this diversity can be a beautiful thing, there are many aspects and hardships that go unrecognized.

“I’ve had to navigate certain situations differently due to my race. Sometimes it feels like people want the good things that come with black while treating black people with disrespect, which no one should have to deal with,” Brown said. “With the negatives though, being black is something integral to my personality and who I am and I love the person I am. I wouldn’t trade being black for the world.”

 AAAC allows students at North Penn to have a voice in their community and express their concerns. The Black History showcase has been an empowering way to exemplify the struggles students face inside and outside of North Penn.

“We just want people to hear us. We want people to hear our voices and our stories and our issues with the way we’re treated. If anyone heard us and appreciated what we’re trying to say, then I think we did a good job. It’s not us pleading or begging for attention, it’s a call to action while also celebrating being black and the culture it comes with,” Brown explained.

AAAC is made up of over 20 North Penn students who all appreciate African American culture and are eager to make a difference in their community.

“Family. That’s the one word I can use to describe this club. There was no more comforting feeling than chilling with the group before our performance, just laughing, listening to music, eating pizza, doing each other’s hair, and genuinely having fun in a space where there wasn’t any judgment, a space filled with love and affection for each other. We all know what each other have been through and while we might bicker over stupid stuff, at the end of the day we’re all in it together,” Brown shared.

AAAC has hosted another successful Black History Month assembly and hopes to continue this tradition for many years to follow.

“I just want to speak on behalf of the other members when I ask that you please try to listen to us and understand us. Hateful words and comments are the exact reason we feel the need to put on this show for the entire school. It’s not because we want to, but because we need to. You are the person we refer to when we say ‘To Whom It May Concern’,” Brown said. “I’m proud of the work we did. Black excellence in its finest.”