“Don’t push me ‘cause I’m close to the edge. I’m trying not to lose my head.” – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, “The Message”

That lyric hits differently when you’re a writer—especially a Black, disabled woman writer—trying to hold your ground in a world that loves your words but doesn’t always respect where they come from.

When I first started blogging, it was like opening a vein. I poured out my heart, my research, and my lived experience. I was building something real. People told me I was helping them—parents, teachers, students. That part made me proud. But then the darker side crept in.

One day, I came across an article that sounded a little too familiar. Then a social media post. Then a book. People were lifting my research, my voice and not giving me credit. Not even a mention or a link. Just silence—like I was invisible.

That’s when I found the National Writers Union (NWU). Becoming a member was more than just signing up for a union. It was reclaiming my voice. They taught me what I didn’t learn in grad school: how to protect my intellectual property, how to copyright my work, and how to speak up for myself before someone else tries to speak for me. They reminded me that my words are work, and that work has value.

Now we’re in this next phase: Generative AI. It scrapes the internet for “content”—but too often, what it’s scraping is our labor. My blog. My research. My personal stories. I never gave permission. No one asked. They just took.

So… what happens when AI starts learning from voices like mine, without consent, without attribution, without pay?

Only time will tell.

But I’m watching.

I’m documenting.

I’m staying in a community with people who know the fight and won’t back down.

Because when it comes to justice in the digital age, silence is not an option.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

— Proverbs 31:8-9 (ESV)

That’s the message.

Amen 🙏🏿

Copyright © 2025 by Edna Brown. All Rights Reserved.