Having a free school also means equipping all of our students with a mentality that strengthens their sense of freedom in a world that may not celebrate their individuality. Because most of our students are either African American or Hispanic, we’ve found that freedom is not necessarily what our society in general may want for them (ie: Hispanic children in cages or laws being passed that “let” black people wear their hair in its most natural state on the job). To combat this, our students say this chant almost every morning before the day begins. We love this chant because it does not specify a certain ethnic group but any ethnicity can say it with pride and a feeling of inclusivity (feel free to share it in your school and home!):
I Am Somebody
Based on Psalm 139
I am somebody that God loves, provides for and protects. For You created my innermost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I am a marvelous work of art. The color of my eyes, the texture of my hair, the features of my face, and the shape of my body, were all conceived and designed by the Creator of the universe.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful
God Himself took time to watch over me while my parts were being formed. As a fetus, I was guarded. The plans for my life were laid out before I took shape in my mother’s womb.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.
I am so important that God keeps track of the number of hairs on my head. He thinks of me constantly and plans for my good.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
The God of the universe is my Father.
I am somebody.
I am precious in my Father’s sight, protected by my Father’s might, created by my Father’s hand, destined by my Father’s plan, nurtured in my Father’s love, heir to earth and all above.
I am somebody.
Leave a Reply