Poetry by Harmony Lee

Harmony Lee @nb_dMovement is an incredibly inspirational non-binary dance and movement teacher for non-binary and trans individuals. We will be interviewing them soon on their amazing work!

Model minority.

Modelling what, exactly?

Whiteness? White acceptance?

False hierarchy propped up

By compliance with the system.

I’m a model prisoner.

I’m not a threat.

I’m not brown-skinned.

I’m not criminal.

But I’m no longer myself,

No longer Chinese

But rather

A model minority.

Don’t step out of line or you’ll fall from grace.

Model is a flat stereotype.

I’ve lost my humanity on both sides

Striving to model minority.

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What is this war costing me?

Family.

Father.

Freedom.

I don’t want to be enemies but we are on either side of a line.

I refuse

To let internalized white supremacy

Claim any more of me than it already has.

As I work to undo, unknit, release old ties,

I find them encircling my mother and brother,

Stronghold of white restriction

Holding them close,

Holding them in line.

My mom doesn’t see the rope,

Can’t find the strings,

Because they look like support, rigging.

She doesn’t feel them pull her down.

And I want to scream at her.

Get off your knees!

Look up!

This is not love!

This is not charity!

Look who you are standing on!

But I’m not mad at her.

She’s surviving, enjoying her life after enduring so much.

She says the ropes aren’t hurting;

It’s not so bad as long as they get along.

Let her go.