What The World Needs Now (feat. Rock The Vote)

"What The World Needs Now" (feat. Rock The Vote)

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​Dear readers,
Election day is here. As you know I have briefly brought up the state of this country for the past 2 independence days. Other than that, I have kept my mouth shut. I didn't even address who I voted for in 2016. I obviously voted for someone fit for the job, and that wasn't the man in office today. I thought we would be stronger together, but somehow citizens and non citizens of this country thought America needed to be made great again. I am so frustrated with the citizens that live in this country. It feels like ever since that man went into office all these people were hiding in the shadows waiting for someone like him to step up to the plate to show their horrid true colors. I never dealt with racism prior to 2016. Since then I experienced it TWICE. I did briefly bring it up last year. I didn't elaborate on it. I was harassed by a clerk at a grocery store in a town that I did not live in. She tried to make it seem like I was stealing something, when I did not. I had scanned each item and she made a fool out of me in front of every white person in that store. I was the only non white person in that grocery store. Think about that for a second. I think she thought I looked weird because I was using my walking stick. If she paid attention, she would have seen that i'm blind in my right eye. She undermined me and tried to make a scene because I wasn't white and I wasn't normal. It really is something that I dealt with that, because a week prior I was at a Walmart and this elderly Mexican clerk was crying because she feared someone was going to come and take her away because she is not white and the wall is coming. She had this look of hurt and fear and I could feel her pain. I have never seen that kind of fear prior to 2016. I did a songwriting competition last year, back when I first started this new story of mine. I was the only non white competitor and every judge was white. First off, you should have some diversity on the panel, because that just makes you look bad right off the bat. 2 judges left me the kindest comments and such high praise. One judge did not. I went outside to get some air and he came out to drive away in his sports car. He told me he didn't like my story, my bridge was horrible, he didn't like what I was standing up for, and he didn't like me in general. He told that to me to my face. That is something that has stuck with me, since that moment happened. I'm not saying I was the best one there, but come on, when the other contestants say that I was robbed, AND the audience, you know something is up. I know he didn't like me because I wasn't white. If I was white would he like me then? His comments were unfair and hurtful. I can handle criticism with my music, but to judge MY story from all the hell I have been through, shame on you. If I could go back, I would totally right that wrong that he did to me. I would take back his words and throw it right back. But I can't do that. All I can do is learn from it and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I was on bart Sunday morning headed to my sister Courtney's place for breakfast. There was this Mexican woman and her son. They had just come back from a Warriors event. This white woman comes on the train from Embarcadero and she just goes off on this lady and her son. She said they have NO RIGHTS being on this train or her country. She insulted this Mexican woman and her son. who did nothing wrong. They were just on the train going home. The woman told her son to take a seat in the nearest seat he could fine, while she stood there and stood HER GROUND. The white woman would not give up. She further went on a rant that this is HER country. Eventually she was shook enough to leave the train at Powell street. I wanted so badly to step in and say something. But that wasn't my battlefield. I saw the mother held her ground and protected her son from the scrutiny that woman was giving them. This is a moment I will never forget. Because this was the moment I decided I need to use this platform that I have to encourage my audience to do what it takes to support what is right. There is already so much wrong in this world. Why make this country worst? It wasn't even as bad as it is now. I looked at that young teenager who was so happy when he got on the train at West Oakland, he had this look of fear and hurt in his eyes. I know he wanted to break down and cry, I know he did, I know that look. I have felt those feelings. I don't want anyone to ever have to deal with a woman like that lady on the train, or the woman who judged me on my color of my skin and my illness, or the judge who would rather have an industry filled with people of his color. I took the last election as serious as could, now I take it more seriously. This is not even the presidential election, but it is still equally as important. There are people who have power and abuse it for their own moral code. Young adults think they have NO VOICE, when they have a voice louder than than the people in office. We all have a voice to USE and fulfill the American dream. This general election is a test for us to see who will speak out and fight back with actions speaking louder than words. Rather than violence and hate that fill this country and this world today. I am so hurt for America. I grew up in California. I had the blessing of growing up in both North and South. I hate what this country has become. Because the country I grew up in, was not like this. For my nephews to grow up in a country that is filled with disgrace, I feel so bad. I feel like we let them down. But I know it is not too late. It is not too late to fix the mistakes and future mistakes that have been made and will be made. We can prevent an outcome like 2016 if we all band together and do the right thing. I have 0 ounce of American blood in me, but I grew up here and I will fulfill my duty and vote so that people like me, who have 0 ounce of American blood, can see that it is possible to have your voice heard. You can be apart of the American dream. You can thrive in a land of the free. It may not seem like it, it may seem like you need to make America great again, in a way we do, but not in the way that is being presented to us. It was already great, it just suddenly got worst. I don't want kids like my nephews or any other child to have these actions being done affect them when they are our age. I am proud to have voted and done my small part as we try to shift the tide to something better. We can't make it worst, we just can't. If we can start by turning in a ballot today, then we can fix what has been done wrong come the next big elections. We can overpower those with power by supporting what is right. I want to continue living in a country that I am welcomed in. I want to live in a country where I can walk amongst people like me. To be accepted for every part of me. Right now, I'm not accepted here, majority of us are not accepted. But we WILL show them we have earned the right to be here and that starts today when we rock the vote, on this election day.

Love, Dom

​Photographer: Courtney Johnson ​ & Dom Baza

What i'm wearing: Shirt - Rock The Vote Collection, Pants - Good Fellow, Shoes - H&M


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Every post I will include the song that inspired me to build a post around it's title

PAGE 83
​Stories From My Life - Chapter 8