Can I Exist?

Visual by Brettany Valenzuela

Existing in a space not created for you.

But as we progress and the world evolves,

There are invitations for you.

There are open doors welcoming you.

There are conversations of inclusion.

Tired of fighting for a space for yourself to be, 

You’re grateful for the opportunity to exist.

No need to fight anymore.

Have a moment to breathe as you hug yourself.

Grateful for a place to rest.

Heal as you collect pieces of yourself. 

Embrace your past while you live in the present. 

But you don’t exist the way others do.

There are millions of pieces of your being,

Yet the space we share only has room for a few.

The parts that they understand.

That they can control and don’t fear.

The tongue that speaks as if its never spoken slang,  

The body that’s covered to conform, fearing its destruction.

The smile that masks the years of hate.

A soft spoken voice that could never know rage.

The mind that speaks of gratitude, as if it never knew oppression.

This is who you are. 

Who you will be.

Who they have constructed this space for.

Honor a la persona chingona!

Keep your culture alive in a space that appropriates it.

Normalize your accent that carries thousands of stories.

Continue to proudly learn and unlearn, understanding who you are.

Redefine every definition of your being.

Allow your mind to revolutionize every space. 

Be in constant conversation with yourself,

growing outside of the narrative.