Transform Me: An Ode on Malcolm X Day

My post on motherhood started as a speech on leadership for my Leadership Theory course. I wrote this poem for the same class. Our assignment was to translate a leadership theory into an artistic expression such as poetry, song, dance, visual art, or performance art. I decided to write a poem based on transformational leadership. As evidenced by its moniker, this type of leadership changes followers, organizations, and environments. The poem is based on a few different theories, including Burns’ (1978) four forms of transformational leadership: reform leadership, intellectual leadership, revolutionary leadership, and heroic leadership. It also captures the components of transformational leadership from Bass (1985): Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Individualized Consideration, and Intellectual Stimulation. Last, the poem relies on Kouzes & Posner’s (1987) five practices of transformational leadership: “Model the Way”, “Inspire a Shared Vision”, “Challenge the Process”, “Enable Others to Act” and “Encourage the Heart”.

I chose to share the poem today in honor of Malcolm X Day. In the poem, I talk about the transformational and revolutionary leadership of Malcolm X/el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, as well as Huey Newton, Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, and Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture. “Revolutionary leadership demands commitment, persistence, courage, perhaps selflessness, and even self-abnegation” (Burns, 1978, p. 169). Each of these revolutionary leaders were willing to make the sacrifice of “risking their lives, undergoing imprisonment, exile, persecution and continual hardship” (Burns, 1978, p. 202). Whenever we pause to commemorate a fallen leader, I try to read or listen to his or her own words. Today, I read The Ballot or the Bullet. Here’s the video and transcript. On what would have been his 92nd birthday, I honor Malcolm X for his vision, determination, truth-telling, and sacrifice for the advancement and liberation of Black people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oVW3HfzXkg

Transform Me: An Ode to Transformational Black Leaders

Transform me.
Be a hero like Martin.
Turn my dreams into reality. Make the vision clear to me. Show me the way.
Paint it majestically like the murals of Aaron Douglas.
Sing it with soul like Nina Simone.
And if we grow weary in well doing, inspire me to see the Sweet Honey in the Rocks and loads we are made to carry.

Transform me.Be a revolutionary like Huey.
Turn my fears into fire that burns in my feet and forces me to run towards the goal.
Liberate me like Harriet.
Tell my truth even when you know you’ll suffer for it like Malcolm.
Use your power to empower me like Ella did for Stokely.

Transform me.
Be a reformer like Obama.
Turn our enemies into allies.
Encourage hearts for change.
Challenge the process from inside the system.
Cross bridges like Ruby. March bridges like John Lewis. Build bridges like Adam Clayton Powell.
And lift as you climb.
Use your seat at the table to add more chairs.

Transform me.Be an intellectual like DuBois.
Turn our consciousness and help us know that Blackness is not only in the skin,but the mind.
Enable us to enable others like Virginia Randolph.
Intellectually stimulate us like Johnson. And Woodson. And one day my son.
Let your words and wisdom be a vapor that rouses us from our slumber and into enlightenment.

Transform me.
And I,
in turn
will transform you.