“Be Your Own Person”

Vanessa Jones & Tori Obermeier

Born and raised right here in Cleveland

A brother and sister close by my side

Always together through thick and thin

Supportive and loving, caring and kind

Trials and tribulation, we cannot escape

Raised a child at just 14 years old

Lost several loved ones at a young age

With each obstacle, my parents would say:

“Be your own person.

Get an education.

Respect your elders.

Depend on no one else.”

Now I’m grown and got a family of my own

There’s Marvin and Ronnie and Latisha too

I told them as they get older, they’d understand 

Now my kids have kids and I tell them to:

“Be your own person.

Go above.

Depend on no one else.

Be better than I was.”

“Be your own person.

Be safe in life.

Be a leader not a follower. 

Do the right thing in life.”

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