These Mothers’ Eyes Spoke
Our sons will live even if it means every city must burn.
Samaria Rice’s eyes speak to me,
11 years and one month.
Diamond Reynolds’ eyes speak to me,
31 years and one month.
Gloria Darden’s eyes speak to me,
24 years and one month.
Silvia Palmer’s: 27 years and one month.
Lezley McSpadden’s: 17 years and one month.
Wanda Cooper-Jones’: 24 years and one month.
Demetree Wynn’s: 20 years and one month
April Pipkins’: 20 years and one month
Patricia Slack’s: 17 years and one month
Allison Jean’s: 25 years and one month
Michelle Keeney’s: 16 years and one month
These mothers’ eyes tell me how much time I have left with my son if his story is like theirs.
These mothers’ eyes tell me how much time has been spent fighting and how much more of the fight is mine.
These mothers’ eyes, they speak. They speak in the burning of buildings, in the shattering of glass, in the dark of night in Portland, Kenosha, Charlottesville, Minneapolis, New York, Nashville, Raleigh, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. Their eyes speak and they spoke to me.
These mothers’ eyes spoke and they said, “our sons will live even if it means every city must burn”.
About the Creator
Hope Martinez
Mother. Teacher. Advocate and activist.
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Letter to our Queer & Trans Youth
Hey, you. I thought I’d start this letter by telling you a little about myself, just so you know who you’re dealing with. I’m an emotional dad, father to three amazing kids who we met through the foster care system, and whose presence in our lives has really transformed my sense of responsibility to the communities that surround us. The connections we’ve made with one another, with our extended families, and with the communities where we live and look for belonging have catapulted us into this whirlwind of emotional tumult which, while not easy by any stretch of the measure, has also been remarkably healing. I realize ours is really only a one-sided chosen family, since our kids didn’t get to choose to live here, but I’d like to think that they did choose to let us love them, which allowed them to grow to love us. And I think that’s where I want to go with this letter- to a place where you can find belonging and healing- even if the pathway there may be peppered with some emotional tumult.
By F Cade Swanson6 days ago in Pride
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