We Learn to Speak

Lyrics

Verse 1
We learn to talk
for ourselves this time
Every quiet kid
getting bold in the line

We learn to stand
when our knees still shake
Writing our names
on the rules they make

Chorus
We learn to speak
we learn to shout
From the back of the room
’til they can’t tune us out
We learn to choose
we learn to say
“This is my life
I live it my way”
We were told we were “less”
now we’re breaking that spell
Sad, sad, sad
til we learned to speak for ourselves

Verse 2
We learn to listen
to the hurt we hide
Trade our labels
for each other’s side

We learn decisions
on the small hard days
What to fight for
what to walk away

Chorus
We learn to speak
we learn to shout
From the back of the room
’til they can’t tune us out
We learn to choose
we learn to say
“This is my life
I live it my way”
We were told we were “less”
now we’re breaking that spell
Sad, sad, sad
til we learned to speak for ourselves

Bridge
We sit on panels
we stand on stages
Sharing our stories
rewriting pages
We call it equal
when we all belong
All of us labeled
singing one strong song (hey!)

Chorus
We learn to speak
we learn to shout
From the back of the room
’til they can’t tune us out
We learn to lead
hand in hand we rise
“I see your worth
when I look in your eyes”
We were told we were “less”
now we carry that bell
Sad, sad, sad
but together we’re teaching the world
to listen as we speak for ourselves