On the 10th Anniversary of the Poverty Initiative, the Kairos Center held a strategic dialogue and celebration to launch the call for a new poor people’s campaign. The gathering placed a special focus on the significant role that art, media, culture and religion can play in efforts to re-ignite King’s PPC. The songs featured here were part of a community sing with movement singers and musicians.
Wanna Be Ready for Change to Come
Charon Hribar, Kairos Center
Lyrics
I wanna be ready for change to come
I wanna be ready for change to come
I wanna be ready when it comes
Wanna be ready when it come
I wanna be ready for change to come
Do you wanna be ready for change to come…
Yes I wanna be ready for change to come…
We need to be ready for change to come…
We better be ready for change to come…
Yes we’re gonna be ready for change to come…
Rich Man’s House
Margie Wiltz, Atlanta, GA
Lyrics
Well I went down to the rich man’s house
And I took back what he stole from me
I took back my dignity
Took back my humanity
Now he’s under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Yea, he’s under my feet
Ain’t no system gonna walk all over me
Well I went down to the governor’s house
And I took back what he stole from me
Took back my dignity
Took back my humanity
And now he’s under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Yea he’s under my feet
Ain’t no system gonna walk all over me
Well I went down to the people’s house
And I took back what he stole from me
I took back my dignity
Took back my humanity
And now he’s under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Under my feet (Where?)
Yea he’s under my feet
Ain’t no system gonna walk all over me (×2)
All of Our Rights Now
Margie Wiltz, Atlanta, GA
Lyrics
What do we all need? All of our rights now
Keeping us all well all through the streets
What do we all need? All of our rights now
We stand united; we’ll not be moved
Right now, we’ll not back down, no
Right now, we’ll not be moved
Right now, we staked our claim now
Right now, we mapped out our route
(×2)
Somebody’s Hurting My Brother
Yara Allen and Sauda Ashe, Rock Mount, NC — Moral Mondays Movement and Repairers of the Breach
Lyrics
Somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
Yes, it’s gone on far too long
It’s gone on far too long
I said, somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
And we won’t be silent anymore
Oh, somebody’s poisoning the water
and it’s gone on far too long
I said it’s gone on far too long
Yes, it’s gone on far too long
Oh, somebody’s poisoning the water
and it’s gone on far too long
And we won’t be silent anymore
Oh somebody’s ignoring the homeless
and it’s gone on far too long
I said it’s gone on far too long
Oh, it’s gone on far too long
Oh, somebody’s ignoring the homeless
and it’s gone on far too long
And we won’t be silent anymore
Wake Up in the Community
Yara Allen and Sauda Ashe
Lyrics
Wake up wake up in the community
Wake up wake up in the community
Tell me tell me what do you see?
Tell me tell me what do you see?
(×2)
Well, I see love in the community
I see love in the community
If you ask me that’s what I see
If you ask me that’s what I see
(×2)
I see dance in the community
I see dance in the community
Using it to fight poverty
Using it to fight poverty
(×2)
I hear song in the community
I hear song in the community
Melodies to bring unity
Melodies to bring unity
(×2)
Ahhyayayaya (×8)
Wake up wake up in the community
Wake up wake up in the community
Tell me tell me what do you see?
Tell me tell me what do you see?
(×2)
Wake up oh wake up (×2)
In My Heart
Avery Book, Burlington, VT — Vermont Workers Center
Lyrics
I want to fight for human rights
In my heart in my heart
(×2)
In my heart
In my heart
I want to fight for human rights
In my heart
I want to fight to end poverty
In my heart in my heart
(×2)
In my heart
In my heart
I want to fight to end poverty
In my heart
I want to fight for liberation
In my heart in my heart
(×2)
In my heart
In my heart
I want to fight for liberation
In my heart
Let It Be a Redemption Song
Channie Waites, New York, NY
Lyrics
Chorus
Let it be let it be
Let it be let it be a redemption song
Let it be let it be
Let it be a redemption song
United and strong it won’t be long
Before we sing a redemption song
United and strong it won’t be long
Before we sing a redemption song
Chorus
We cannot ignore what we see
The injustice of poverty
We cannot ignore what we see
The injustice of poverty
Chorus
United in song it won’t be long
Before we sing a redemption song
United in song it wont be long
Before we sing a redemption song
Chorus