Wednesday, October 2, 2013

You are a Who!

Great Post that I am Saving to Read my Children "For the Onlies"

I love this excerpt (but you should really read the whole post:-)..

To the only black girl in her school batting away swinging ponytails while combating a limited retelling your her-story choosing to begin with slavery rather than your Motherland. To the only Latina on campus who thinks in another language, constantly making translations in your head. To the only Asian girl always assumed to be from somewhere else, somewhere far. To the only Indian girl whose name reflects her parent's fears of a future of discrimination. To the only Native American girl whose image of self is hidden behind stereotypical mascots of male faces. To the only biracial girl in the neighborhood who is always bracing to hear the question, "What are you?"

May you know that your history is vast, your language beautiful, your home here. May your full name embody your full self. May you know stories of significance, of wonder, of greatness that look just like you. May you know that you are a who.  

This is what I want for my children!

For my son who has two cultures....who is completely Ethiopian and completely American and should not have to choose one or the other.  For the child growing within me who will likely spend their whole life being asked "what are you--are you black or are you white?" who should also not have to choose to define themselves as one or the other.

Each of my children is special.  Each of my children is unique.  Each of my children are multi-faceted.  They are both and they are beautiful and they are whole.  Their very self is so much more than the sum of their parts.  They may be or look different than many of their peers, and they may defy labels.  I want to celebrate all the incredible aspects that make them, them.

You are special, your history matters (all of it, both of it, the complicated parts and the obvious parts)...your heritage and language are beautiful (even if you no longer remember how to speak your first language(s), it is still a part of your heritage)...your home is here (you are not a partial-citizen or a second-class citizen)...and your home is there (it may no longer be as familiar as where we now live, but your birth country is also your home and we will celebrate it always and try to keep it an important part of your life that you recognize as home)..May your full name embody your full self. May you know stories of significance, of wonder, of greatness that look just like you. May you know that you are a who.  

You are a who!