[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Page Title” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”7b80b288-9d69-47ec-bf36-3ce85936ff42″ header_font_size=”44px” width=”75%” width_tablet=”75%” width_phone=”75%” width_last_edited=”on|phone” animation_direction=”bottom” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90aXRsZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7ImJlZm9yZSI6IjxoMT4iLCJhZnRlciI6IjwvaDE+In19@[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”f84e2cab-ebf8-40e3-a798-179490788aa3″ custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/04\/AbengLngOpening22141.jpg” title_text=”Black-Lives-Matter-(3)” _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_button button_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjIyMSJ9fQ==@” button_text=”About Byron Brooks” _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _dynamic_attributes=”button_url” _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” button_alignment=”right” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”7b80b288-9d69-47ec-bf36-3ce85936ff42″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
“Living in a World that often tries to define our limits, dreams, and our purpose. I believe in the liberating action of believing in oneself, and walking a path that we ourselves have decided to take no matter how intimidating, impossible, or foolish it may seem to society and even those closest to us. The goal of this piece is to dare the reader to dream, and to live radically each and everyday, on their own terms. We are the change we seek within the World, but that change begins within. Dare to dream differently. Dare to Dream the impossible!”<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(255,255,255,0.7) 0%|rgba(255,255,255,0.7) 100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/burlap-texture-bw.jpg” custom_padding=”2em|2em|2em|2em|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _module_preset=”5918de67-902c-4fd0-baa7-65bcfd0aa27f” text_text_color=”#2D3B49″ header_2_text_color=”#21303F” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n
I am a Black Man
More than a statistic
I am a Black Man and I was Born in Prison
Who knew from this concreted, oppressed and
ostracized soil would grow such a flower
I am the trenches, never knew my biological father
I am from Kings and Queens that were forced to be slaves
I am from a land that took away my name
I am from a land that told me that I would be nothing but a statistic
I am from a land of power-hungry politicians
I am from a wealth of culture and flavor
I am from braids, locs, Afros and High fadedTapers
I am from a place where we break every chain
I am from a place where we push through the pain
I am from a place that told me that I can’t
I am from a place of growth, that true Hustle where
I will show those behind me that we most definitely can!<\/p>\n
– MoSoul<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_margin=”-19px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_button button_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjM5OCJ9fQ==@” button_text=”Return to Story Menu” button_alignment=”right” _builder_version=”4.24.3″ _dynamic_attributes=”button_url” _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Inspiration “Living in a World that often tries to define our limits, dreams, and our purpose. I believe in the liberating action of believing in oneself, and walking a path that we ourselves have decided to take no matter how intimidating, impossible, or foolish it may seem to society and even those closest to us. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":221,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-232","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/232\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectandengage.housing.umich.edu\/abeng-multicultural-lounge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}