That app on her laptop that made her desktop look like a mac before she could

afford an apple

We were just kids who didn’t grow up with much trying to be happy, me with my adventuring and her with her habits.

What would she always tell us?

it’s never too late to have a happy childhood

May Day 2006 I drove the cousins to Los Angeles to be a part of sleeping giant which was awakening.

And then the immediate ICE crack downs that followed.

back to bed with you brown giant

I was learning how to actually see a woman.

And at the same time I was witnessing millions of people overlooked by their own government, the supposed keepers of our story.

My friend risked becoming

another statistic

And my complicity was evidenced by the simple example of how I had no idea what or where was

Puerto Rico

She had said that’s where her mom was from but her history hadn’t made it up through my public education.

She claimed she was half Spanish but she didn’t look Mexican.

I had always dismissed it.