"LET" a post july 4th poem

This Latinx art student has the right to question everything.

The fireworks on the fourth confused me this year. I talked with my film buddies - The Matriarchy Team - Patricia Zamorano and Lauren Ballesteros, and we discussed how there is a lot more work to be done. Our Latinx history is rooted in multiplicity. Its history of being both the oppressed and the oppressor; the colonized and colonizer. My journey as an immigrant was to assimilate as soon as possible. Accepting terms like, "You're one of the good ones," in my young professional life later came back to haunt me as I began to understand that comment is an insult to me and my community. Individualism or the "American way" is divisive. Now the practice of returning to community is essential and revolutionary to me. 

Liberation is a practice. Anti-racist work is a practice. This will not be solved overnight. 

My personal goal is to stop centering whiteness in the work. I'm still shedding this off of me, and it will be evident in this imperfect and unfinished poem. My goal is to center more joy in the work; so that joy is what shakes me awake into Action. 

For now, my practice with The Matriarchy team is to write poetry to help us remember how we got to this place and to envision where we can go. This poem is unfinished, and I am still learning. Come as you are - I keep hearing from Black Lives Matter organizers - We want you imperfect rather than not there at all. So here I am expressing my imperfect self, shedding lies, and trying to find more joy in the work. The poem is about my personal investigation towards the ritual of pledging allegiance to the USA as a child immigrant; learning the words even before I could fully understand the English language.

May you be safe and loved out there in your journey.

#BlackLivesMatter

#BlackTransLivesMatter

#AbolishICE
#ReleasetheChildren
#ReleasetheFamillies

#DefundthePolice

#PeoplesBudgetLA

#AmplifyLA

Learn more: peoplesbudgetla.com | blmla.org | Black Trans Lives Matter

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LET

By Rosa Lisbeth Navarrete

Freedom is breath in cells 

Internal wells 

Of unpracticed self assuredness 

Power from within 

Freedom is blood that sings

Music from our past 

And we are here because 

Love is fierce and fast 

Freedom turns its back 

To rules and deadlines and fools 

Trying to tell you how to live your life

There is no formula for the 

thing you want so badly.

The thing that makes you forget

The thing that makes you hungry

The thing that causes regret

The thing that flounders Practice

The thing that always changes its name.

Intentionally not familiar to your tongue

Makes you second guess your genius 

Until you stand there only knowing you want to belong…

You’re not a child anymore, yet 

Your hand is on your chest

You pledge to things unspeakable 

Unknowingly recite the rules that will protect the monster

Designed to destroy you 

Recite the rules that will protect the monster 

Designed to destroy you

Incite the monster

Designed to destroy you

Respite - detention 

Respite - homelessness

Respite - femicide

Respite - incarcerated

Respite - breathless

You are taught about self-sabotage, and you think it's just a stage

But we’re ingrained to hate ourselves and thus we walk with shame

Until that moment comes - seE -

That moment when you finally feel free

And it’s not going to be an external force

It’s a quiet freedom and indigenous course.

A blood memory that your lineage is pulsing 

Through your veins, through your dreams, 

through your own need for answers.

Even this language is full of the bastards.

You’re going to dig on your own 

Find your hand off your chest

Liberate your fingers

Embrace the unrest.

Because freedom is a practice of Love.

Now repeat after me…

I pledge allegiance to the land

Which provides the wisdom I know

And also to water, which swims in me

One body, under sky, with the power to artfully Liberate my mind.

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