Activism takes many forms – from marching in the streets to the quiet act of refusing to disappear. In an inner-city alleyway, the shadow of a man slips away, leaving Julz alone. She is surviving however she can, living rough and holding on, but deep down she knows this is not her forever. Within her is the spark of agency, resilience, and lived truth that will one day change her life – and inspire countless others.
The home page for the musical can be found here. The human-authored lyrics and dramatic structure by Gareth Watkins are licensed under the CC BY 4.0 licence; reuse and adaptation with attribution are permitted and encouraged. See the full licensing statement.
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[Intro]
Mmm
Mmm
[Verse 1]
On these early morning streets
There’s a life about to change, sir
Today is simply about survival
But it won’t be my forever
Living in the shadows of a dream
I could tell you how that feels, sir
Between the tricks and fixes
But I know this won’t be forever
[Chorus]
Because the ancestors whisper
You’ve been waiting too long
And one day soon, the light will find me
And raise me up
And the ancestors whisper
In my hands, in my heart
A change is rising up
This is not my forever
[Verse 2]
You don’t know it yet
But we are equal, sir
And one day we’ll stand equal, sir
But not today
Today I’m just holding on
In the alleyways you leave me
In the spaces you allow me
But I know this can’t be forever
[Chorus]
Because the ancestors whisper
You’ve been waiting too long
And one day soon, the light will find me
And raise me up
And the ancestors whisper
In my hands, in my heart
A change is rising up
This will not be my forever
[Bridge]
Every name I carry forward
Every hand that held me
Tells me this won’t be my forever
It’s not my forever
[Verse 3]
So in your privilege, sir
Don’t you dare leave me behind
In your privilege, sir
Watch me carve a place for mine
And in your privilege, sir
It’s time to make space
It’s time to take my hand
It’s time to let me stand
[Bridge]
And then, sir
We’ll stand in the light, sir
Together, sir
Together
[Final Chorus]
Because the ancestors whisper
You’ve been waiting too long
And one day soon, the light will find us
And raise us up
And the ancestors whisper
In our hands, in our hearts
A change is rising up
This is not our forever
[Outro]
So watch us rise up
Watch us rise up
Watch us rise up
Because this is not my forever.
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