Author: Elizabeth Locke

When the Father Isn’t There: A Personal Look at Youth, Responsibility, and Broken Homes

/ Elizabeth Locke

When Recklessness Becomes Reality

There’s a quiet ache in the world today. You can feel it in homes stretched thin, in mothers carrying too much, in children asking, “Where’s Dad?”

Many of today’s youth are playing adult games without understanding the stakes. Caught up in the rush of desire, they forget—or ignore—that unprotected sex isn’t just about fleeting pleasure. It’s about consequences. Possibilities. Lives created.

The allure of “raw dogging it” has become a dangerous game—carefree sex with little thought of the weight that might come after. The risk of disease isn’t enough. The risk of parenthood isn’t sinking in. For some, it’s just about the fun—the thrill. But the accountability? That’s missing.

And no, the blame doesn’t rest on young men alone. Young women, too, get swept up in the same rush. Technology’s advanced, but emotional maturity? Responsibility? Still lagging behind. In many cases, the idea of family—true, stable, connected family—feels like an old photo, frayed and fading.

Where Did the Nuclear Family Go?

Once, a two-parent household was a standard. A source of balance. Today, it’s becoming rare.

In a culture that glorifies independence and “doing it on your own,” many women feel they must be both mother and father. And while strength is beautiful, it’s not always what’s best—not for the child, and not for the parent. It takes two. Emotionally. Financially. Spiritually.

“Creating a child isn’t a casual thing. It’s a lifetime. It’s sleepless nights, doctor visits, emotional development, and stability. And far too many of our youth just aren’t thinking that far ahead.”

A Mother’s Perspective: My Son, His Choices

This isn’t just a societal issue for me—it’s personal. My own son became a father at twenty. Young, optimistic, and blind to the depth of what fatherhood truly means.

He was living with his then-girlfriend when he shared the news—he was going to be a dad. I could see it in his eyes… he didn’t fully grasp what was coming. I held my tongue. Let life show him.

But life wasn’t done with him yet.

Months later, he told me another girl—his childhood sweetheart—was also pregnant. I didn’t believe him at first. My son is charismatic, a storyteller by nature, always walking the line between truth and tale. But then I saw her. Belly full. Eyes soft. The unmistakable glow.

Reality hit hard.

“Two babies. Two mothers. Two lives that now depended on a young man who still hadn’t figured out his own.”

One Father, Two Families

The babies were born just two months apart.

What followed was chaos. Hurt. Confusion. Both mothers wanted him present—not just for money, but for presence. For love. For partnership. He tried to juggle both, but the weight was heavy, and time? Time doesn’t stretch.

This wasn’t just hard on him. It rippled outward—to the mothers, to their families, to the grandmothers (myself included). The emotional load was real. The awkwardness? Thick. The guilt? Palpable. And worst of all, the children—sweet, innocent, perfect—entered a world already complicated and divided.

Real Talk: Accountability, Not Avoidance

This didn’t have to happen—not like this.

We need a cultural reset. We need our youth to pause before they act. To truly see the lives that could be created, the families that could be fractured. We need to teach them that sex isn’t just physical—it’s emotional. It’s spiritual. It’s a bond, and it has power.

“Responsibility is sexy. Awareness is powerful. Communication is the real intimacy we’re lacking.”

We’ve lost something in this hyper-digital age. With every swipe, like, and emoji heart, real connection is slipping through the cracks. People aren’t talking anymore—not in the ways that matter. Not before making decisions that echo for generations.

Final Word: For the Sake of the Children

Raising children in confusion is harder than we admit. They feel everything. They may not have the words, but they know when something’s broken. And it lingers in them longer than we’d like to believe.

It’s time to put maturity back into the conversation. To teach our sons and daughters to choose intentionally, love honestly, and think long-term.

Because no child should grow up wondering why their father isn’t there.
Because no mother should carry the full weight alone.
Because families—real, rooted families—are still worth fighting for.

Swiping, Liking, Connecting: Is Real Love Lost in the Digital Age?By Elizabeth Locke, 5/18/2025

/ Elizabeth Locke

Is Dating in the New World Too Much?

In this brave new world of dating, where swipes, likes, and messages flicker across our screens, the question lingers: is there any room left for real connection? In a universe where we can see someone’s smile through a screen, yet never truly feel their presence, what does it mean to truly know someone? To look into their eyes, without the veil of a digital filter? Is the art of romance dying under the weight of convenience?

The Digital Age of Dating

Today’s dating landscape is overflowing with options, each platform offering something to lure us in. And Facebook is no stranger to the digital love game, with its own niche, Facebook Dating. At first glance, it’s seductive in its simplicity: log in, create a profile, upload a few pictures, and fill out a few details about what you love and what you loathe. Then, the notifications start. Someone liked you. Someone swiped right. And just like that, a potential spark flickers to life—or does it?

The Digital Dance: Swipe, Match, Repeat

We fall into the rhythm of reviewing profiles: looks, age, shared interests. At first, it all feels so easy. But then comes the deeper question: Is this person someone I could actually connect with? Do they see me—or am I just another name in the sea of faces? Are they the kind of person who takes time to read my words, to understand who I am, or is this just another superficial game?

And let’s face it, the “sifting” phase can feel like navigating a minefield. Is this the start of something real, or will it quickly devolve into another disappointing ghosting episode? We dance around the decision: Do we continue chatting in the app, or take the leap and share our number? Are they who they claim to be? What’s lurking behind the perfect profile picture?

The Truth Behind the Screen

Some want to connect on social media right away—an odd request, don’t you think, when we’ve barely exchanged more than a few pleasantries? Others prefer texting, calling, or even FaceTiming. This is where the modern dating scene begins to unfold, but is it really unfolding? Or are we still trapped in a cycle of fake smiles and empty gestures?

And then, the truth starts to slip through the cracks. They’re charming at first—maybe even seductive—but then… they falter. They don’t communicate well, or worse, at all. Maybe there’s a side of them they’ve kept hidden, something that unsettles you. Maybe the connection was just a mirage. It’s in these moments of disillusionment that we truly see how fleeting and fragile digital love can be.

The Spark of a Real Connection

And yet, there’s hope. Amidst the facades, the empty lines, the quick fixes, there are still glimpses of something deeper. A spark. A real connection. The kind that makes you smile when you see their name pop up on your phone. The kind of connection that makes you feel like you’re more than just a profile picture, more than just a momentary “match.”

When you meet someone who makes you laugh until your stomach hurts, who understands your silences and your quirks, who makes your pulse race just by sending a simple text—it’s electric. This is the connection you’ve been longing for. The one that proves that, even in the midst of swiping through a digital sea of faces, true connection can still exist.

Is It Worth It?

Yes, dating has changed, and yes, it’s become more complicated than ever. But perhaps, just maybe, the new age of love has something unique to offer: a chance to find something real in a world that often feels anything but. It’s up to you. But remember, true connection isn’t just a swipe away—it’s a spark that ignites when we’re ready to let ourselves truly be seen.

Let’s Talk:
Have you ever found a real connection in the digital age? Or do you think true romance is lost in the sea of online profiles and swipes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Lost in the Sauce: The Quiet Struggle of a New Employee

/ Elizabeth Locke

Are You Being Taken Care Of?

Are you lost in the sauce at work?

Were you truly welcomed, or were you just walked around and left to figure it out?

  • Did you receive proper training?
  • Are there people you can go to when you’re unsure?
  • Were your instructions clear and consistent?
  • Do you feel like part of the team?
  • Is communication flowing between you, your supervisor, and coworkers?

These questions aren’t minor—they’re everything. Because when the answer to even one of them is “no,” it can shake your confidence to the core.

The Leap of Faith: Starting Somewhere New

We’ve all been there—considering a promotion or opportunity at a new workplace. You take the leap, leave the comfort of what you knew for years, and hope for a soft landing.

Maybe it starts well. You’re given a tour. Introduced around. Even taken to lunch.

But then the warmth fades.

The questions pile up. The silence from your team gets louder. The instructions you received were vague at best—or not delivered at all.

You’re left to wing it.

“Sometimes, the training is shallow, the direction unclear, and suddenly, you’re swimming in expectations with no life vest in sight.”

The Reality of Being “New”

You come in eager—pen in hand, notebook ready, eyes wide open.

You ask what you can. You absorb everything you’re shown. You want to thrive. But without real guidance, you’re forced to rely on fragments of knowledge, intuition, and trial by fire.

And sometimes, your eagerness is met with… resistance.

Some teammates don’t want to train you. Some guard what they know. There’s no malice—just detachment. But it stings just the same.

“It doesn’t take much to make a new hire feel wanted—it takes intention. And far too often, that’s what’s missing.”

Communication Is Care

True belonging begins with communication.

It’s not enough for leadership to say, “Welcome aboard.” Communication must start from the top—your supervisor, your team leads—and it must stay consistent, compassionate, and open.

“When a new hire feels heard, they feel safe. And when they feel safe, they’re empowered to grow.”

This communication should ripple outward—across departments, across levels of leadership, across teams. When everyone is included in the onboarding journey, cohesion becomes a natural outcome.

Inclusion Is More Than a Buzzword

The best workplaces create opportunities for new hires to see the big picture.

When employees understand not just their own duties, but how various departments and divisions interconnect, they begin to feel a sense of mission. Of purpose. They no longer feel like a misplaced puzzle piece—they become part of the whole.

“We don’t want to just fill a role. We want to belong. We want to give back. We want to matter.”

That sense of interconnection builds a culture of mutual respect and shared goals—something every new employee deserves.

Make Them Feel Chosen

Being hired should feel like being chosen—not just selected to fill a seat, but welcomed into a family.

That means:

  • Taking the time to train new people thoroughly
  • Checking in regularly, not just once
  • Sharing knowledge generously
  • Cultivating a culture of open, honest, retaliation-free communication

When a workplace truly invests in its new hires, everyone wins. Confidence rises. Collaboration grows. Turnover falls. And that fire—the one that brought the new employee to your door—keeps burning.

Final Thought

To the leaders: Your new hires are watching and feeling everything. Show them they belong—not just on paper, but in the way you communicate, guide, and include.

To the new hires: Your desire to feel seen, trained, respected, and valued is not too much. It’s right. And it’s human.

Because when someone feels supported, they don’t just show up.

They shine.

To Dash, or Not to Dash: The High Cost of Delivering Your Dinner

/ Elizabeth Locke

By Elizabeth Locke, 5/17/2025

The Glossy Promise vs. The Harsh Reality

It’s 6:15 PM on a Thursday, and you’re watching your DoorDash app, wondering where your dinner is. The map shows your driver looping a strange path through town, your food stuck in transit. You’re frustrated — maybe even annoyed.

But what if the real story isn’t just about late food? What if it’s about a broken system that’s failing the very people delivering your meal?

“The Gig is Rigged”

DoorDash, one of the top food delivery services in the U.S., paints a rosy picture of freedom and flexibility.

“Be your own boss,” they say. “Earn on your schedule.”

But for hundreds of thousands of drivers — or “Dashers” — working to make ends meet, the reality often feels closer to exploitation than empowerment.

“DoorDash is like playing a rigged slot machine,” says Marcus, a full-time Dasher in Southern California. “You’re doing everything right — fast deliveries, customer communication, perfect ratings — and they still treat you like you’re disposable.”

Zone Lockouts & Long Drives

A major issue Dashers face is being sent far outside their delivery zones — often 20 to 30 minutes away. It might sound manageable, but Dashers cannot accept new orders until they return to their zone.

That means up to 60 minutes of unpaid driving, plus the rising costs of gas and wear and tear on their vehicles. A $6.75 order quickly becomes a net loss.

The Bad Orders and Broken Expectations

Low or no-tip orders appear constantly — and many are far away. Sometimes customers unknowingly select a distant store when placing an order, thinking it’s the one closest to them.

“I once drove 11 miles for a $3 tip, and the guy complained I took too long,” says Carla, a Dasher in Texas. “It was the only place that had his order, and he picked it. Still blamed me.”

Delays at restaurants also contribute to bad experiences. Many customers assume the driver is to blame, unaware that:

  • Orders are often not ready on time
  • Restaurant staff may be overwhelmed or understaffed
  • Long waits at drive-thrus are common

All this time eats into a Dasher’s schedule, but the blame still falls on them — along with poor ratings.

Glitches and the High-Paying Order Trap

“There’s this glitch,” explains Marcus, “where when you’re messaging a customer to thank them for the tip or letting them know you’ve arrived, a high-paying order comes up — and the app freezes. You can’t accept it. Then it counts as a decline against your record.”

These “ghost offers” — high-paying orders that appear but can’t be accepted — are more than frustrating. They hurt driver metrics, lead to lost income, and receive no meaningful support from DoorDash.

“I reported it three times,” says Carla. “They basically just copy-paste a generic reply like ‘we’re looking into it.’ Meanwhile, I lost $20 and got penalized.”

The Battles No One Sees

Every Dasher navigates invisible challenges that customers often don’t understand:

  • Finding parking in crowded city zones
  • Security gate delays in gated communities
  • Traffic and detours that extend delivery times
  • Unresponsive customers or unclear delivery instructions

“It’s like we’re ghosts,” says Leo, a driver in New York. “Everyone wants their food, but nobody respects the hands that bring it.”

Even high-tier “Platinum” Dashers — those with top stats — feel unrewarded.

“I do everything right,” Carla says. “Polite, punctual, follow every note. I still get dinged for things I can’t control. And people almost never rate you unless something goes really wrong.”

“Modern Slave Labor”? Some Think So

It’s a bold comparison, but some Dashers are calling their reality digital sharecropping or modern slave labor. They’re subject to:

  • Strict algorithmic control
  • Low or unpredictable pay
  • No labor protections
  • Zero benefits

The system profits while Dashers carry the weight — physically, emotionally, and financially.

“We’re subsidizing DoorDash and the customer’s convenience,” says Marcus. “And no one seems to care.”

What Can We Do?

When you order through DoorDash, you’re not just paying for food — you’re participating in a system that often devalues human labor.

So what can you do?

  • Tip generously
  • Be kind and patient
  • Rate fairly and positively
  • Support fair labor policies
  • Speak up when something feels wrong

Because for many Dashers, the question isn’t “To dash, or not to dash?” — it’s:

“How long can I keep doing this before it breaks me?”

Have a Story to Share?

Are you a Dasher or customer with a story or perspective?
Leave a comment below or reach out via [your contact info or contact form].

When Blood Fails, the Heart Chooses

/ Elizabeth Locke

By Elizabeth Locke – 5/7/2025

Not all family is born screaming in a hospital room, wrapped in blankets and surnames.

Some arrive as whispers—quiet, divine interruptions. Souls you weren’t expecting, but somehow, your heart remembers them like déjà vu.

You are born into blood, yes. But blood doesn’t always raise you. Sometimes, it breaks you. Sometimes, it leaves you standing in doorways with open hands and empty echoes. Sometimes, the people meant to be your safety never learned how to be safe themselves.

And so, the universe sends others.

A woman may come along who teaches you how to mother yourself. She ties your shoe when your own mother wasn’t there. She stirs healing into pots on the stove, wipes your tears with soft words and eyes that don’t look away. She teaches you how to be gentle with your pain, and fierce with your love. She becomes the mother you needed—not by blood, but by bond.

A friend becomes a sister. You laugh until your ribs ache. You cry on her kitchen floor. You tell her the things you thought no one would ever hear. She never flinches. You feel safe in her presence, held not by touch, but by truth.

Then there’s the man—the one who enters when you are unraveling. He steadies the storm. He doesn’t promise to fix you, just to hold you through the fire. He listens. He sees past the strong mask. He offers comfort that feels holy. He becomes family—not by duty, but by choice.

And one day, you find yourself stepping into these roles for others.

You become a mother to someone aching for guidance. A sister to a woman learning to trust. A friend to someone carrying quiet grief. You become the family they didn’t get, but desperately needed. You become their steady place.

Because family is not about bloodlines.
It’s about soul lines.

It’s who shows up.
Who stays.
Who sees you, all of you, and loves you anyway.

Some people were never meant to stay forever. But others arrive exactly when you’re ready to receive love that’s real. They become the ones you celebrate with, fall apart in front of, rebuild alongside. These are the sacred ties—the invisible, unbreakable threads of chosen family.

So don’t be afraid to open your heart to the ones not bound to you by name.

They may very well be the ones who save you.

And you?
You just might be that saving grace for someone else.

The Years I Lost, The Woman I Found

/ Elizabeth Locke

By Elizabeth Locke – 5/7/2025

There are spans of time I barely recognize anymore.
Whole years swallowed by silence, by aching nights and cold pillows soaked in tears. Years spent surviving. Numb. Alone. Forgotten even by myself.

Where did they go? Those years I gave away—too trusting, too wounded, too tired to ask for more.

I lived through the storm. Not with grace, but with grit. With bruised knees and a spine that refused to break. I held tight to that quiet fire in me, repeating the words I’d tattooed onto my soul: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

I was naïve. Starved of a mother’s warmth, shaped by pain and the long shadow of divorce. I sought love in places that didn’t know how to hold it. I made choices—some I can barely name without choking on regret. And yet, in the wreckage, miracles bloomed.

I was given four children—my heart in human form. The silver lining to every thundercloud. Without those choices, I wouldn’t know the kind of love that cracks you wide open just to pour more light in.

I walked through life half-guarded. Eyes open, heart hidden. Trust wasn’t easy—not after the damage. But God, in His mercy, still sent angels.
A handful of women who held my hand like sisters.
A mother who found me when mine was never truly there.
And another—my Mama Bear—who speaks life into my soul when I forget how to breathe.

She said to me one day, “No matter how many years were lost, make the next ones your best.”

That truth hit deep. It cracked me. I wept for the time that slipped through my fingers, for the things I never got to feel, the places I never saw.
But I only let myself grieve for a heartbeat.
Because staying there would chain me to the past—and I was finally ready to be free.

The moment I chose awareness over blame, healing over hiding, was the moment I began to truly live.
I stopped waiting to be rescued.
I became the woman I was always meant to be.

I leaned into self-love—not the cliché, but the radical act of believing I deserve joy. I faced the fear, the discomfort, the parts of me that had never seen the sun. I said yes to new beginnings, to unfamiliar places, to people who saw my light before I did.

It wasn’t easy. Growth never is.

But I had help.
I learned from souls like Sheneese Starr, who reminded me: “Get off the block.”
Take the step. Say yes. Move.

And in moving, I reclaimed myself.
Piece by piece. Day by day.

The world is wide. Vast. More beautiful than I ever allowed myself to imagine.
And what’s meant for me? It’s still mine. It was never lost—just waiting until I was ready.

I feel the rain now, and it no longer hurts. It cleanses.
I walk with a glow that comes from fire, not frost.

So to anyone counting the years they think they’ve wasted—stop.
You didn’t lose time.
You were becoming.

Forget the loss.
Feel the now.
Let your story be one of power, of rising, of choosing yourself every single day.

You deserve this life.
You deserve the glow.
So rise. And don’t look back.

Softness, Peace and the Feminine Aura

/ Elizabeth Locke


By Elizabeth Locke · April 14, 2025

The most beautiful place on earth is where a woman can fully dwell in her softness.

So often, she is carrying the weight of the world—leading, providing, fixing, holding it all together. She moves through the noise, armored in strength, operating in a masculine energy that the world demands. In time, this carves a harder exterior just to survive the cold, cruel pace of it all.

But when she is able to turn that switch off—when she can lay it all down and step gently back into her feminine aura—that becomes her peace.

She begins to glow in the quiet light of herself.

It’s a soft, sacred space, like floating among clouds. Her mind begins to rest. The sharpness of the world fades. Her spirit dances barefoot in a meadow of stillness. Peace—the kind that sinks deep into her bones—is one of the greatest gifts a woman can receive.

In this space, she can close her eyes, smile without reason, and breathe sweetly. She is delicate. She is light. And in her softness, she becomes joyful again.

It’s like she’s taken off the hard hat and steel-toe boots. Her mind lifts. Her body relaxes. The weight of everything she carries falls away. And there she is: invincible, radiant, sensual. She reclaims the beauty of her being. She embraces every part of herself.

She delights in simple pleasures—silken lotions on bare skin, a perfume that whispers passion, her hair brushed just the way she likes it, toes painted in a color that feels like spring. Everything she wears feels like it was made for her.

Her soft mind is where the magic begins—where fear transforms into curiosity, and darkness meets the gentlest light.

This is where she becomes excited again—about life, about love, about her own power.

Because women are life-givers, it is essential for their feminine aura to flow freely. It is the source of nurturing, intuition, empathy, and deep creativity. When she moves from this place, her most radiant energy is unlocked. She becomes open, magnetic, graceful—overflowing with kindness, gratitude, and a quiet desire for the happiness of everyone around her.

A woman must be able to return to this energy naturally. Her intuition is a gift—one that senses what is unseen. She feels the room before it speaks. She knows what’s aligned and what is not. When she listens, when she follows the soft pull of that knowing, she guides herself with grace and clarity.

The more she tunes in, the more life opens for her. The things she longs for begin to arrive—not because she chased them, but because she became a soft place for them to land.

She just needs to pause. To feel. To breathe into her inner wisdom.
When she listens to that quiet voice, she meets her deepest calm.

She remembers the truth that’s always been within her:
She is soft.
She is peace.
She is the embodiment of a beautiful, powerful, feminine aura.

“There is a quiet power in a woman who embraces her softness. Her aura becomes a vibration so high; the world can’t help but feel her presence.”
— Elizabeth Locke

When energy lingers, the sacred practice of awareness

/ Elizabeth Locke

By Elizabeth Locke | April 9, 2025

“There are people who leave fingerprints on your spirit.”

We don’t always notice it at first—but energy imprints.
This piece is a poetic reflection on emotional imprinting, boundaries, and the healing power of awareness. Let it invite you into a softer way of seeing your world—and choosing what stays.

There are people who leave fingerprints on your spirit. You may not notice at first. It begins quietly—in the way your thoughts shift after a conversation, or how your body tenses when their name lights up your phone. Their energy, their patterns, their choices—without permission—begin to wrap around you like threads.

This is the silent power of imprinting.
And this is why awareness is everything.

A child watches a parent leave dishes in the sink and learns something. A teenager hears the sting of criticism and carries it like a bruise beneath the skin. Even as adults, we absorb. We inherit. We reflect. And unless we pause, unless we see—we repeat.

“Awareness is the breath between stimulus and response.”

It’s the soft but firm voice inside that says, This isn’t mine to carry.
It’s the knowing that you don’t have to open the door to every knock.
You don’t have to pick up every call—especially if the person on the other end brings more static than substance. Their energy may not belong in your sacred space. And that realization? That is liberation.

We live in a world that moves fast.
But awareness slows things down, asks you to listen—not just with your ears, but with your nervous system, your breath, your intuition. It asks, Who do I become when I am around this person? Does this space nourish me—or deplete me?

This is not about judgment. It’s about resonance.

“Protecting your spirit is not selfish. It’s sacred.”

And it begins with awareness.

When you become aware, you can course correct.
You can say no with grace.
You can choose quiet over chaos, boundaries over burnout.
You learn to self-govern—not with force, but with clarity.
And that clarity builds a life that feels more like home.

Ask yourself gently:

  • Is my awareness bringing me closer to the future I want?
  • What story am I telling myself about what I have to tolerate?
  • Who taught me that I must always say yes?

Your “Book of Law”—the practical truths you live by—should reflect not just what you’ve survived, but what you desire. Because desire, when honored through awareness, becomes design. You begin to shape your world with intention. You choose the voices you listen to, the patterns you follow, the energy you dance with.

And when you choose, you change.

Awareness stirs the mind, yes—but it also anchors the heart.
It asks better questions.
It shifts behaviors.
It turns unconscious habits into conscious decisions.
It aligns your life with your highest vibration—not someday, but now.

So, take inventory.

“The quality of your life is shaped not just by what you choose—but by what you choose to allow.”

Final Reflection:

Study your surroundings. Honor your intuition. And remember:
Everything you seek is already within you.

Awareness simply removes the fog so you can see it more clearly.

It is the light in the hallway, the soft hand on your back, the whisper that says:
You know what’s right for you. Trust it.

It all begins with awareness.

Lotion

/ Elizabeth Locke 
1/4/2025

Lotion feeling smooth and oh so silky.
Creamy on my skin and sometimes sweetly milky.

Fragrances igniting the senses, 
Daring you to climb the highest fences.

Notes of apples, strawberries, vanilla musk and fruity pears---
Oooo they may invigorate the sweetest of dares.

Lotion awakens the mind and helps you to unwind.

Lotion makes you feel alive---
Inspiring you to proclaim, "YES!  I have arrived!"

It can be flowery, sweet or laced with spice,
And your skin feels oh so soft, so nice.

Applying lotion hydrates your skin,
Awakening the inner goddess within.

Lotion provides a calming sensation,
A moisturizing delight, as beautiful as a soft sweet carnation.

Lotion can be used in endless ways---
I wholeheartedly recommend it and offer my highest praise.

Racially Profiled

/ Elizabeth Locke 
12/31/2024

Flashing lights.
Stopped by police.
Can't even ride in peace as a passenger.

We were minding our business, 
Providing what was requested---
Yet officers persisted, driven by a hate for our race.

There was no valid reason to stop us---
They harassed my friend not even driving, 
Their wholly rude intent was solely to offend.

Racially profiled---
My friend, merely a Black passenger, 
Was interrogated and attacked.

False citations were issued, 
As officers forced the issue---
profiling him in a way they were never going to admit.

The next day we had to set things straight.
All we received was a quiet hollow excuse---
A clear sign of abused power.

It's a shame in today's age---
You can't even be a Black passenger
without facing racial profiling by biased officers.