The poem celebrates the speaker's resilience and strength in the face of oppression. Though others may try to write her down in history with lies, tread her in the dirt, or kill her with hate, she will still rise up like dust, air, and the tide. The speaker takes pride in who she is and where she comes from, rising up from a past of pain and terror into a new day that is clear. She carries the gifts of her ancestors and represents the dreams and hopes of slaves.