Ever since she was
A little shy girl,
People knew she was
A big shining pearl

Listening to her father’s sermons
She learned that faith
Is not just a feeling
Or compassion,
But a calling
And an action

She believed true pastors
Can change the course of history
When they don’t wait
For people to come to the ministry

Hers was the people
The migrant farm workers
The poor and the voiceless
The disenfranchised
And the powerless

A role model for ministers
To come down from their ivory tower
To connect with the people
To unite and empower

She works hard
To get the job done
Her commitment is
Second to none
Her prophetic calling to
Energize,
And organize,
And mobilize,
Is not a sprint
But a marathon run

Her battles are
People’s concerns
Jobs and Rehabilitation
Human Rights and Education
The successes are testimony
To her dedication

She may not be the Pope
But she’s been the soul of HOPE*

Passionately answering the calling
With great zeal
Proving that holding power accountable
Is not a mirage
But can be real

* This poem is dedicated to the Rev. Sharon Streater, staff organizer of HOPE (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality), a faith-based community group in Tampa, Florida.