Roar in the Room

She spoke loud, letting every word claim the space she had earned. Expressing oneself authentically improves psychological resilience and self-esteem, while suppressing voice increases stress and reduces life satisfaction (Ryan et al. 68).

Cultural and linguistic identity, including AAVE, strengthens community bonds and individual agency when expressed freely (Rickford and Rickford 71). She did not whisper. Freedom did not ask politely. It arrived with her voice, bold and unshakable.

Works Cited (MLA)
Rickford, John R., and Russell J. Rickford. Spoken Soul: The Story of Black English. John Wiley & Sons, 2000.
Ryan, Richard M., et al. “Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being.” American Psychologist, vol. 55, no. 1, 2000, pp. 68–78.