A poem written and performed by Queen Omi — played at every BGV Foundation pitch competition since the beginning. This is where the work starts.
Written & performed by Queen Omi Founder & CEO · BGV Foundation Kennedy Center Artist · Published Author
Read the full poem
— Queen Omi
It's 3 to 4 ft taller than reality
Its ropes are red white and blue
It's platform is blank stretched canvas
They say it's built for a man
That there's an audience for my competitor and I
There's gloves
And coaches
And centers
And punches
Strategy
And knockouts
Blood, sweat and tears
Entrepreneurship is a boxing match
But we, the women
know how to stay light on our feet
We slide past insecurity
We shuffle through sexual harassment
Me
Too
We dip
And block
Then Duck
And land
Then suddenly
The predefined role of "women"
Calls my name
Wife
Feminist
Mother
Grandma
Cook
Auntie
Babysitter
Nasty woman
—
POW!
Right in the kisser
I lose balance
Fall
Face against the platform
I heard my ego cracked
When I realized
That my male competitor has more
Mirrors in his dressing room
You're a woman,
this is not your place
The referee counts down
You don't belong here
Stay down, he shouts
VC's fund people who look like them
And I don't look like them
I didn't learn how to box in school
My parents are not boxers or coaches
My life is just a corner
The referee shouts 8, 7, 6
I breathe
this game is rigged
But FUCK THAT!
I am the only species on earth
That can bleed for a month and not die
I am a firestarter
Even if I bow out
And get a corporate job
I would still make less than
The man who would scrape my remains
From this platform5, 4, 3Get up Girl
Pin a nike commercial to your memory
Remember that you don't get in where you fit in
You fit in till you get in
Because fitting in is about character
Getting in is about access
You're already in the matchGET UP!
Bite the hand that feeds
You B.S.
Burn bridges you never
Want to cross again
YOU GOT THIS!
Slide
Duck
Jab
Land
And remember
That you know how to
Stay light on your feet
“You fit in till you get in — because fitting in is about character. Getting in is about access. You're already in the match.”
