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I'm from a place I'll forever love. I can't help it. It made me who I am and I'm grateful.

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By R. Robin
I am from parochial education, preschool, elementary, jr. and high school because my mother believed as Malcolm X, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

I am from many faith traditions.  Born and raised Baptist, A.M.E., and C.M.E. then finding my path and voice in ELCA and Episcopal beliefs and walks.

I am from the Curtis Park Projects, with cement stairs, linoleum floors, concrete sidewalks, and shared metal clothes lines. Community parties, front stoop gatherings with laughter and music late into the night.

I am from “Don’t let you mouth write a check your 🤬 can’t cash” and “Don’t let me have to tell you again.”

I am from haircuts on the new moon, never cut a baby boy’s hair before they can walk and braids, braids, braids on Saturday morning.

I am from summers of back door entrances, no counter service take away only, movie theaters where “colored must sit in balcony only” and be back on this side of the tracks before sundown.

I am from Classical, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Soul Train lines, Motown records, and only Gospel music played on the radio or record player on Sundays.

I am from greens, pig feet, chitterlings, black eyed peas with ham hocks and okra, holiday fruit salad, sweet potato pie, banana pudding and home-made hand churned ice cream.

I am from the Trail of Tears driven out and dispossessed, the Middle Passage stolen and sold. Gatherings around elders to hear the stories of struggle, survival, hope, faith, God, and grace.

I am from those who have through it all thrived.

I am from the wildest dreams of my ancestors, those spoken and unspoken.

Because of them, I am.

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I am from Vietnam – born in a homeland full of rich culture, history, and generational presence. A place that provokes, for some, memories of a controversial war but for me, it still feels like home. Though I am so far removed by the miles and even more so, by the decades and cultural difference.

I am a child of broken origins – not because my parents are divorced. (I know I am fortunate that they are still together after 45+ years and I am grateful that they have helped me build the foundation for a healthy marriage). But I am of broken origins because my identity feels like it is. Never fluent or knowledgeable enough to be fully Vietnamese, but too strange and foreign to be fully American.

As an adult, I now know those struggles were eclipsed by everything my parents did to anchor me to our heritage. Homecooked meals of pho, banh xeo, cha gio, and so much more. The sounds of pots, pans, and folding chairs that evoke the thought of large family gatherings. Life lessons passed on to me over dinner, sometimes encrypted in a language that is too complex for my vernacular understanding – typically followed by my parents’ efforts to bridge that gap between the world they know and the one I am navigating.

And I try – not just to listen but to take these lessons and bury them deep in my soul so that I can never forget the experiences that made them and by extension, me.

This person, the one plucked from Vietnam and transported to a new world, would eventually understand that fate brought me here. And the same fate that helped me find a new belonging with my life-long friends also brought me to my better half. The person I share my home and my life with – my husband, Oliver. This love that we joke had to cross miles and continents just to meet at a Starbucks in San Diego.

Our neighborhood has become our home and newfound place of comfort. A home that is often filled with the sound of two cats running amok, music playing while we clean, and lots of laughter over anything and everything.

Sometimes, I still struggle with understanding who I am. But when I think back on my past and the memories and experiences that made me – I realize that I would not trade a single moment.

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I am from waking up before dawn to the smell of freshly-brewed, very weak coffee and the sounds of the morning paper turning pages. The creak of the old wooden nook he sat at every morning. The smell of wet dirt on a softball field and long road trips with just one burned CD that we listened to over and over again.

I am from a mother who birthed her babies two at time, so we would always have someone to love and support us, even when she could no longer. For 6 years, my mother's love now manifests itself in the closeness of my siblings and I. Evidenced by keeping traditions and cherishing the handwritten recipes prepared so lovingly by my maternal ancestors.

I am the grandchild of only one grandparent, but that was all I needed. She gave everything. Being a Grandma was so deeply and beautifully intertwined into her own identity, it was hard for it not to be the first thing she shared when meeting new people.

I am from a place where oldest child sometimes means parent, counselor and problem solver. I am from humans that carry or carried unhealed trauma, which sometimes presents itself in their actions.

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I come from the land of sugar, Michigan's "Thumb" region.  A place where I can hold up my hand as if it were a map, point to that shortest appendage, and identify my "place."

A place where a livelihood is pulled out of the ground in the form of a beet, placed on a truck, and then taken to the factory across the street from where my grandmother and father were raised in an old victorian house.

A factory where that beet will get processed into granulated sugar, packaged, shipped across the country, and sold to feed Thumb families.  This factory's smoke stack and silo silhouette the evening sky over the town of Caro, emphasizing it's impact on all who can see it.

Though far away, I can still hear the trucks rumbling down the road in the fall, their beet loads ready for delivery. I can smell the uncanny smell of beet pulp as soon as the calendar hits October--a scent my grandmother always said "smelled like money."

1/2 mile down the street from grandma's I can still see the Schall Elementary School.  It served as Caro's high school in grandma's day, but it is where I was "shaped" between grades 2 and 5 and where some of my fondest memories of youth still reside.  I see the pumpkins children have decorated on the courthouse lawn next to the school, awaiting the judge's eye in preparation for the annual pumpkin festival.  I can taste a Gibby's footlong hotdog and fries from the festival food stand; the best $5 one could ever spend on a meal.

My mind drifts further.  I  see myself bouncing down the road in the back of an old, rusted Chevy suburban, hauling a duck boat and decoys.  Charlie Daniels is on the radio; as dad drives to Saginaw Bay for the morning's duck hunt, the anticipation builds in my soul for the adventure that awaits.

Our springer spaniel, "Bud," sleeps next to me in the bunk in our hunting shack as we drift to sleep watching the Phillies and Blue Jays play in the Fall Classic. We've done this since I could walk--the Great Lakes, ducks, boats, dogs, and the culture that go with those things is all I've ever known...it's all I ever wanted to know.   A boy. His dad. Their boat. His dog. His heaven.

Perhaps someday when I die, they'll spread my ashes in this place...and the last parts of me will always remain in the place that IS me.  For as they say..."you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy."

This land of Sugar...this land is me.   It seeps out of me in all I say and do.  I can't separate from it...though I now live in a world impacted by the grounded globalism opportunities produced by rapid technological advancement.  But it is not just me--if I know you, it is also in part you. If you've taken me in as a friend and colleague, you too have taken in the influences of the land of sugar.  Because as another radio-dial troubadour who serenaded us on those suburban rides to the lake once said--he being a poor, small-town boy from Start, Louisiana who also never lost his "country"--"no matter where we go or what we do in life, we all take a part of each other...everywhere."

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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My soul is from the land where my parents were born, Dominican Republic.

I am from many parts of New England.  New York City was my birthplace place and Rhode Island the place where my three siblings and grew speaking my parents language, eating Caribbean meals and listen to music that combined the many African Drums with Taino rhythms.

In that small state I come from, the  seasons serve has the clock that tells you it time to reflect.  The beauty colors of the Fall leaves, remind you  that all living are constantly changing.

I come from a place where family, food and laughter hold us all together.

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I come from dirt roads, moose in the yard, and Chinook winds that turn the snow into slickly wet glass.
Where Ron, a fisheries biologist from Chico, CA, and Claudia, a teacher from Spokane, WA, sought adventure in the Great Land and found each other and then found (had?) my brother and I. Where the sun shines all night in the summer and it never made sense to come inside from riding our bikes through the woods.

I come from Seward Park on the south edge of Seattle where the Douglas Firs have been growing since Jefferson was president, the Herons fish all day, and the lake roils in the rain and brings quiet down around all things.
Where we squeeze into a tiny kitchen in an old house where I've lived for 30 years and work on dinner together.

In the winter, and sometimes in the summer, we leave the lower forty-eight and go north to where I'm from and ride bikes past 10 pm, or slide down driveways during spring break-up, and wait while my dad loads the slide carousel with pictures of canoe camping, and birthday parties, and impossibly gigantic sockeye salmon being held up by two little boys.

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I am from Cleveland where my family still lives. The oldest of six kids and always a big sister first – our family is built on laughter, sarcasm, music and memories.

Growing up in Cleveland meant frigid winters and hot summers on the lake, neither of which I’d change. Summers meant watching baseball and family cookouts. Winter meant football parties and chili. Both meant our house would be filled with the 8 of us…plus my dad’s 9 siblings…plus their kids. It wasn’t quiet.

I go back to where I’m from as much as I can, and I’ll forever consider it home. But I feel lucky to say that I now two homes – Cleveland and San Diego. I have people I love in both places, and can thank both homes for memories that have shaped who I am. I’m from a life of good people, big hearts and lots of laughter, and I say that from a place of true gratitude.

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I am from Aztlán. Not a mythologized place. But, real in space and time. We always knew that because our oral historians told us so. Yet, it took one of us now a Harvard scholar and a book of academic might to finally put the debate to rest. The ancestral land of the Mexica (you might say “Aztecs”) is where I am from and where we have returned to. A migration back home to fulfill a 500-year old prophecy. Yes, we eat tamales in Aztlán now just like we did then before we migrated to Tenochtitlan. I imagine we were always boxing fans because my home is filled with boxing memorabilia. Dancing, laughter, singing. Yes! Although sounds in Nahuatl are not as plentiful as before, we still have the same desire for heart pumping music & movement to celebrate life with family and friends. Whether we express ourselves in English, Spanish, Caló or the Nahutl of our origin, gratitude and joy fill the air now as it did then in Aztlán.

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I am from a valley
with blue skies reflected on
water that meanders to the sea
Ghosts that wander historic streets
gone but not forgotten

From back porch sitting and garage thunderstorm watching
From barking and zoomies
I am from a love of water and sand
Surf and sunsets
Melodies and memories sung from a stage
Love lost and found and never gone

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Where I am from…

I am from a functional by definition dysfunctional family that has always valued transparency.

For me, I was always taught that it is important to show up as you are and voice your concerns to the tee!

However, I was not made aware that everyone would not be able to handle “being told”

“Being told” is not a disrespectful or negative narrative but it is a straight-NO Chaser dialogue with no folds!

Because of this I have always tried to find ways to lighten the communication blow

Still maintaining the honesty that is so important for others (including myself ) to know!

Nevertheless I have had my fair share of offense that I was blamed for, and I admit the offense in some cases was mine

But some was just because people expected others to just always be so kind (aka untruthful).

Now you may think that this communication riddle revealed very little

However, couple this style of communication with a brown girl from the south that has always stuck out in a sea of WHITE sand…I simply became the Black Girl with the TOO MUCH MOUTH!

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I am from "Strange Fruit".

I am from Title 1 schools that taught us  "to be determined to be somebody someday".

I am from The Le Moyne Owen College- 5th Oldest HBCU in the United States.

I am from a people who taught me French and Hebrew; Shakespeare and Ptahotep.

I am from pickles and peppermints and streetlight curfews.

I am from lunch sacks with saltines  and hoghead cheese.

I am from rides in a Chrysler Cordoba packed with 10 people on a Saturday night at the local drive in.

I am from church road trips with fried chicken in a oily  brown paper bag.

I  am from BC powder and RC Colas.

I am from Thursday evening chess matches with my mom and dad.

I am from the love and culture of a black family not seen on TV.

I am from women of power and leadership and men of honor.

I am from the pentecostal experience with a Hebrew accent.

I am from a lineage of seers.

I am from a Creator who divinely positioned me to change the world.

I am from tears of the families of Anatiana Jefferson, Tanisha Anderson, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor,  Yvette Smith,  Shelly Fray,  Darnisha Harris and Shantell Davis.

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I am from the land of cornfields in the Midwest. I grew up in a home surrounded by them.

I am from a Father who was a Pastor and a family who held tightly to Christian values and roots.

I am from being a middle child, the 3rd born, a peace maker at heart.

I am from being my own person and not choosing the path of my family. Risking relationships to be who I am has made me strong and resilient.

I am from love of friends and mentors who took care of me and gave me the gifts of travel, healthcare, home, education and love when I needed it most.

I am from a loving and beautiful marriage where loyalty, friendship, respect and care are top priority. I am from true love.

I am from becoming a Mother and realizing it was all my previous paths and struggles that lead me to the most special of all. I am 1000% dedicated to her happiness, health, success and love.

I am from all the wins and losses I've had. I am from the highs and lows. I am from all the mistakes I've made, and from all the triumphs I've celebrated. I am from my heart and I am from owning it all- the good, the bad, the ugly.

I am from being committed to always working to better myself, my community, my family and those I love.

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I am from food, that is at every gathering and how we communicate love.

I am from fashion, where an accessory is a must😊!

I am from sports, where you push yourself to the end.

I am from creative expression, when I don’t have words.

I am from hardwork, where things are earned not given.

I am from education, what taught me and I pass on.

I am from music, that soothes my soul and cheers me on.

I am from water, my happy place and respite.

I am from laughter, despite the pain.

I am from love, despite expectations or standards.

I am from traditions, that give me warmth and a reminder of ancestors past and present.

I am from barriers, that cause me to stumble but force me to be better.

I am from colleagues, who influence my life on a daily basis.

I am from friends, those amazing secret keepers.

I am from family, my closest friends, supporters and confidents.

I am from children, who shape me daily and make me better.

I am from Reid, who encourages, holds me accountable and gives me stability.

I am from advocacy, fighting for a non-verbal child.

I am from pain, the deep soul ripping kind.

I am from Christ, who died for my sins.

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I AM BEBE...

I am Grandma Lola's love.

I am hard-working parent who never gave up.

I am magical moments, from wedding to birth.

I am family traditions like Christmas in Church.

I AM BEBE...

I am a foolish foodie, romantic for movies,

Shopping spree crazy, for Louie and Gucci.

I am stories told and songs yet to be sung.

I am Mrs. Suarez, Gabriela’s Mom.

I AM BEBE...

I am, at last, my greatest wishes.

I am, thank you mom-dad,

And thank you sisters.

I am memories set adrift,
yet captured in pictures.
Thank you Besties, Michelle and Kissa.

I AM BEBE.

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I am from the Garden State

A true Jersey Girl

A state that has beautiful seashore resorts, mountains, lakes, farmlands, and suburban communities

A small state that packs a big punch

Diverse.

I am from a family of European decent

Filled with many traditions

A family that honors family and education and instills that importance on each passing generation

An extended family that has thinned through the years.

I am a lover of the sea and the beach

Marveling in the vast beauty of morning sunrises over the ocean and colorful sunsets over the bay

The smell of salty air that lets me know I am home

Sand forever in my toes and the sounds of the ocean in my heart.

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I am from sheets waving in the wind

on clotheslines strung across the backyard,

from fried chicken, potato salad and family chatter.

I am from small town, mid-America,

and rural farms with golden wheat gracing the horizon.

I am from the large oak tree that reigned in our front yard,

gnarled branches reaching upward to embrace the sky

and outward to welcome all who entered its kingdom.

I am from Catholic mass every Sunday.

from “sit up straight” and “listen to Father Baker,”

from raucous German weddings,

from holidays shared with aunts, uncles, cousins

at grandma’s old, white-washed house –

too small for all of us and yet we fit.

I am from Dodge City, Boothill and, yes, can-can dancers,

from weekend nights “dragging Earp” and drag races in the country

from getting grounded because I was there.

How many novenas must I say?

I am from grandma’s cinnamon rolls,

from dresses sown by her arthritic hands,

Quilts, she so patiently taught me to make –

I cherish to this day.

I am from family – the sun and moon for my earth.

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I am from a home with laughter and the sound of children giggling as they play. I know one day that sound will no longer fill the rooms, but it will always ring in my mind. A fond memory from my childhood is Sunday “dinners,” which were usually around 2pm. Fried chicken, pot roast, chicken and rice… followed by watching stock car racing with my father until he fell asleep for a nap. He was a former race car driver, then turned minister, so I guess Sundays would always be his busy day of the week. A saying that I was told, and I tell my children is “love God and love others.” We call ourselves Team SMOKE – Sarah, Matthew, Olivia, Knox and Eli. We are a team, and we hold each other to our value of loving others. One of Team SMOKE’s favorite things to do is to take our six-seater golf cart on a drive around our neighborhood, which is a common practice of many neighbors. The water is a special place for me as it frees me from my to do list and all the things I “need” to get done. It is just me, the boat, and the water. As a child a special place was my Great Grandma’s farm in Lake City, FL. I was free to roam safely, picking blueberries and chasing butterflies. I loved the independence! A special item in my home are four gold doves engraved with my Grandparents’ names and the dates they lived and loved. Our family speaks the languages of love, kindness, patience, gentleness, and self-control. Some days we are more fluent in those languages then other days.

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I am from small towns and corn fields and wide open spaces.

Horses, cows, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats abound.

Summer days frolicking under the weeping willow in the huge puddle from a recent storm.

Football games in the Fall, Basketball through the winter, 4-H projects take the focus of the spring and summer.

I am from long road trips for our vacations, midwest values, and meat and potato meals

I am a child with 2 siblings, add 5 siblings, but so much time like an only child.

Blending the families doesn't come without challenges, I just want everyone to be happy

Two complete Thanksgivings in one day, Grandma's and Grandpa's for Christmas Eve

I am from where moving away to college allows me to finally feel free to learn who I am.

Strong relationships and friendships offer me those glimpses into who I want to be, what I want to believe.

But there is still so much small town thinking, close minds.

Then comes the real freedom of moving across country.

I am now from a big city, open minds, and so many perspectives you just can't count.

I drink in people's stories, their cultures, their sagas to allow my eyes to open.

I am from happy times and oh so many sad times.

The happy times cover the hurt from the sad, and help us to push on.

Family is everything, but truth not so much.

You don't talk about the hurt, you just push on with your covering smile.

No one can know about those dark secrets - I mean - what would people say?

I don't care what they would say, I tell them, so I can process.

No one really cares about those secrets anyway!

But, I know, (or I hope) that those dark secrets were kept with the intention to protect, and with deep love to keep hurt and anger away.

When the truth comes to light, the memories are shattered.

Time allows for those shards of memories to be collected and you start to reassemble them with the new knowledge guiding the way.

Not all of the family appreciates having to collect those fragments and pieces and put them back together, so I watch as their past remains shattered.

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Born in the mid 70s in the state of New Jersey.   My time in NJ was limited as my family moved to Florida when I was 5.

My  family at the time consisted of an older brother and a younger sister.   Yes - Middlechild.   I felt we were a traditional family. My father worked and my mother stayed home until we reached upper Elementary.  She then went back to school and entered the career force.

I graduated in the mid 90s with a 3.89 GPA and thought I was ready for college but after the 1st semester I ended up dropping out.  Without much of plan for my future I ended up enlisting into the United States Marine Corps.  The Corps helped me establish my foundation and gave me the skillset to go back to college and earn my associates, bachelors, and masters degree.

I've held many different jobs through my life.   Dishwasher, Pizza Delivery, 7-11 Clerk, Disneyworld, Marine Corps, Corrections Officer, Newspaper Boy, Plumber, Teacher, District Grant Manager, and of course AVID PM.

I married my beautiful wife in 2007 after being in other failed relationships and she brought my Oldest Son and Daughter into her life.  Together we brought 3 more boys into our family.   We did lose a daughter in a miscarriage but the Lord ended up bringing Marisol into our life - rounding  out our family.

On more of a personal side, certain members of my family have struggled with depression - including my mother who was killed in a car accident in 2016.   My mother was very important to whom I've become.   I too have struggled with depression - mine steaming from some neurological medical issues that have come about in my early 40s.  It's interesting because I didn't understand what my mother was going through as she fought her battles and couldn't truly relate but now I see and only wish she was here now to talk with in regards to this topic.    I share this because many people who suffer or have suffered depression don't talk about it and it plays a major role in "where they are from".

To end on more of a positive note, I have always been known for being the "class clown".   I remember that in both Elementary and Middle School having a special seat near the teacher's desk and when all the kids would laugh for any reason the teacher always looked back at me first to see if I was the culprit of this humor.  Sometimes I was and sometimes I truly wasn't.  I continue to find ways to make people laugh and enjoy seeing and hearing their laughter.

-so this is where I am from!

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I’m from a home that began in the projects but from one that I now own. I am from a Southern Baptist African American Mom from rural Creedmoor. and a multi-racial Episcopal Father from the mountain town of Morganton.

I’m from a home with many different depictions of the Cross because if you can grow with parents from two different denominations in the south and manage equity and diversity of faith worship and still be a believer, then you have truly learned to love.

I'm from a home filled with the sounds of laughter, Old Skool R&B and Gospel, and the televisions blaring with sit coms, documentaries, and sports events.

I'm from a  neighborhood where I live peacefully in a community that is rich in cultural diversity and where most of the residents are even older and quieter than I am.

I'm from families with ties that are blood, extended, fraternal, church, professional, within social circles, and communities interwoven to help me truly love. ie. Mom, Darrel, Denise, Miles, Mya, Justin, Stephanie, Jacob and Jackson…

I'm from “Take one day at a time,” “CYA,” and “Not my monkey, not my circus”.

I'm from a home with the smells of Fried chicken, Barbeque ribs, Collards and corn bread, Fried fish on Fridays, and a glazed pound cake that will make you smack yo’ mama!

I'm from giving thanks prayerfully in all things and from having an appreciation of mutual kindness and respect.

I'm from Durham, Fayetteville, Raleigh, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Central University.

I'm from a place where the King’s English, Ebonics and vulgarity are spoken masterfully as required by the rules of survival and codeswitching.

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I am from Port Jefferson and Farmingville, in Long Island, New York.

I am from a family of five and now the mom/wife of Team Z.

I am from a family with several aunts, uncles and grandarents. Cousins were like siblings. Grandparents were always there, sometimes living with us. We played cards, we listened to horse races, we had fun.

I am from a family that didn’t really talk about troubles, finances and the world around us. I grew up in a what some would say is a protected and sheltered bubble because of the upbringing of my parents. I am from a family who evolved into talking about things as we got older.

I am from summer backyard parties and celebrations with family, friends and neighbors. Many video recorded.

I am from chicken cutlets, baked ziti, Cheez-its, fresh baked cookies and bagels from the deli, buttered rolls, pizza and Grandmas  homeamde cookies.

I am from a family who loves music and performing.

I am from a father who worked hard to provide. Who forgives all, loves to share a story, prays for all and makes friends with anyone he meets. I am from a mother who gave up everything to take care of our family when we were growing up but strated to find her joy in teaching preschool later in her life.

I am from Church on Sundays, choir and bible study Wednesdays and God in our heart always.

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Alberta Banks – Where I am from

I am from a small town in the Mississippi Delta whose soil was as rich and plentiful as the legacies that toiled it.  It is a place where late great civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr, John Lewis, and Stokely Carmichael among others chose to walk the streets to provide hope, love, and a sense of pride to those who needed it most in a nation that often devalued their contributions. The same place where my mother often slipped away to record the meetings of the NAACP and SNCC. Yes..slipped. My grandfather didn’t want any of his girls to be involved in situations that could potentially become violent.

I am from Thomas Street. A place where grandparents, and great grand parents were among the first black families to own land to cultivate a sense of pride, integrity, and fortitude for generations to come. They built their homes to withstand the test of time.  They built the home that my parents would be married in and that years later my husband I all would make our vows in.

I am from a place where love of family and humankind permeated neighborhoods creating the most nurturing environment for children and young adults to realize and develop their gifts and talents. There were neighborhood backyard gatherings. Food was prepared with loving hands and grateful hearts. Later, those same hands would prepare food for school fundraisers for my siblings and me.  It was truly food for the soul.

I am from a mother, grandmothers, great grandmother…and I could go on, who provided me so much wisdom about their world leaving me just enough curiosity to thirst to learn more and prepare for an uncertain future.   I can still hear my grandmother saying,” What you gonna do if the sun don’t rise?” which translates to be prepared. She also would often say, “Don’t give up but give out”.  Always give your all.

I am from a home that has brought me peace. It is surrounded by nature and inside there are pictures that provide constant memories of loved ones and family authors.

I am from a family with a supportive husband who has helped me navigate the unsteady waters of life and parenthood for 37 years.  We have been blessed to be gifted two beautiful human beings and have influenced their adult journeys.

I am from legacy, leading, learning, and loving!

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I am from a small place they call "Virso" in Meherrin, VA which is about 20 minutes outside of Farmville, VA.  A place that created the beautiful person that is my mother, who was equipped with an iron will and an open heart.  A place that provided me with the opportunity to engage with some of the most knowledgeable people I've ever known....although society may have assumed something different when they left our "Virso" bubble.
I am from a small home that was built on a foundation of love, support, dedication and hope.  I am from a grandmother, aunts and uncles who instilled the understanding of hard work, keeping your word and being unscathed by the sometimes complicated actions of others towards you.
I am from the 14 cousins spread across three homes side by side who often played from sun up til sun down.  Engaging in conversations, running through the woods, drinking from the water hose, racing barefoot, climbing trees and catching "Lightning Bugs".  Standing up for one another, while pushing each other to do their best.  Having disagreements and running home only to come back out 15 minutes later to continue our day.
I am from what others would call poverty. The 1st and 15th were dates on our calendars I remember to this day.  But, the wealth that came along with this so called poverty was often overlooked.   The wealth of having a faith based grandmother who covered us in prayer daily, the wealth of having caring uncles and elders in the community who would always say "I didn't do it this way, but this is the way you move forward beyond "Virso". The wealth of having cousins dedicated to making sure you stayed on the right path and not get held back by some of the pitfalls they encountered.
I am now the father of 3 with wonderful wife. All of which was only possible through the spiritual coverage I received.  I am continuing to make my way throughout the journey of life, hoping to offer that same love, support, dedication and hope to others who may not have access to that kind of wealth. I continue to move forward, I continue to hope, I continue to overcome, I continue to create and I continue to embrace....embrace the journey, the people and opportunity to see another day. I......yes, I continue to not only survive, but to appreciate life and fully live.

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I am from a little place called Groveton, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA (pronounced by the letters P-A and never Pennsylvania), which officially makes me a Yinzer, though I refuse to use the word in a sentence. This was a place of kinship and hardship alike, where we had each other's back and acted as a large community family. Others in the school district looked down on where we lived, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I am from a fragmented family and close family at the same time. Born into a situation where there was strong resentment between parents and extended family, they each cared for me in their own unique way. With a working mother in a single-parent household, I often spent time with my grandparents. These grandparents were the central hub of the family, where we would gather as a whole on holidays and special occasions.

I am from poverty and low educational standards (from others), both of which I fought and fight to ensure future generations do not feel. Picking yourself up by the bootstraps sometimes requires assistance, though pride can get in the way. When opening doors that you didn’t know existed, it’s important to remember to leave the light on so that others can see the path as well. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, as the words from people in the past cause doubt and a sense of not belonging to creep in at times. Then you recall what it took to get here, and motivation and belief flood back in.

I am from a wonderful family, with an amazing wife and two incredible children. They are the reason I continue to push myself, to be worthy of their affection. My wife inspires me and makes me a better person. My children fill me with joy and continually make me proud of the young adults they have become. We don’t always get along, but love is the foundation of this house. We spend time playing games, enjoying nature, and leading active and engaged lives. Through sports, activities, and events, the Google calendar is never dull.

I am from a desk that has many memories from the past. A ceramic frog that I gave to my father as a gift from my wedding day sits on the top shelf, looking over me as I know he has since passing the week after giving it to him. Wrigley Field rests next to a small wicker chair that came from my grandmother, taking me back to watching Cubs games with my grandfather (Yeah, not very Pittsburgh of me…). A Terrible Towel lies within reach, and a couple of footballs sit at my right hand in order to help me think when I need them. Staring at me from my monitor is the blue-beaded gecko my wife made for me on my way to my first teaching interview. My black lab lies at my feet, contently snoring, while the cat smacks my arm for attention.

I am from a place rich in memories. These memories define my past, build my character, and allow me to shape the future. My mission is to help others to shape theirs as well.

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I am from a small town in  southwestern KY where sports and barbeque reign. I am from a family where the grandparents set the rules. I am from farmers, plant workers, small business owners, educators, and great cooks. I woke up to hot breakfasts during the week, Sunday dinners of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans, and buttermilk biscuits, and regular family barbeques that consisted of mutton, potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, and more ribs than you could eat. I am from tobacco country and an area that takes great pride in calling the home of the 101st Airborne their very own. I am from John Michael and Bernice, married 54 years. I am from card playing parties on the weekend-spades, bid whist, and poker. I am from summers filled with camps, Vacation Bible School, trips to Chicago with my grandmother, Ms. Laura's home candy store for bubble gum and icees in a dixie cup, and staying up late watching the Disney channel. I am from education being my only job as a kid and sports my recreational/extracurricular activity. I am from compassion, parents who believe in community involvement and helping your neighbor, no questions asked. "Tomorrow, that shoe could be on the other foot."
I am from close and authentic circles of family and friends. I am from service: service providers, service men/women. Serving is purpose. Whatever you do, be of service to others.

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I am from Shelby NC. A small town where Friday night football is the one of the few things that brings the city together.  I am from Roger and Suzette.  I am from sitting in my dads dark room watching him delicately mix chemicals to develop photographs.  I  am from a mom who asks where are your earrings when you aren't waring any,.  I am the perfect blend of the two of them... prissy and focused.  52 years of marriage and I have them as an example of God's love on earth in two people. Far from perfect but perfect for each other!

I am from a large bloodline of relatives who love each other and will always protect one another.  Family reunions are a must and we celebrate with and for each other as much as we can.  My cousins were  my first friends.  I am from summers at my grandparents eating muscadines from the vine and spending sick days at my favorite Aunt Pearls house eating toast and watching the Young and the Restless.  Was I really sick...maybe maybe not.

I am from Light Oak and Lawndale, the communities where my parents were raised and that raised me. I am from church on Sunday, Wednesday, and vacation bible school every summer.   I have so many extended aunts and uncles and cousins that I just say everyone is related to me. That type of love and support built me, that love and support gave me a strength that when I walked out into this world, I know I was protected and covered , because I was loved. That community roasted me and praised me and I am forever grateful.

I am from playing in the mud in my Sunday dress, playing kickball in the streets until the street light came on, piano lessons, tap, and baton, ushering, choir (and lord knows I cant sing), marching band, Girl Scouts, and activity that I was told  or asked to do.  I am from I am tired and want to stop, but  "we" cant stop, we have to be better, try harder, but you  have support so keep pushing!

I am from making my own way and carving out my own place.  That is hard when you have someone who looks just like you and is always there.  I am a twin, but I am Shanda.  My name is not RandaShanda.  We are not the same person.

I am from Gods constant covering. I am from my ancestors prayers.

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Where I’m From

I am from mountains, cool lakes and the oldest summer resort in America, where my family has been since before the American revolution.

I am from warm tropical breezes, spicy salsa music and Taino heritage.

I am from parents from two different worlds, who often don’t agree on anything except their children, but are going strong 50 years now.

I am from traveling and exploring and adventuring as many places as possible.

I am from “home” being wherever the people that I love are.

I am from siblings and squabbles and strong bonds that span the distance.

I am from Anne and Forrest and Ramonita and Pedro and Nora and Bob, and all who have come before.

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I am from Pine Bluff, Arkansas (I can still smell the paper mill!) where both of my parents grew up and both sets of grandparents lived. I am from parents who were educators and a family of 3 children, my two big brothers and me. I am from Sunday church and Sunday family lunches of fried chicken, biscuits with white karo syrup, and banana pudding and where the important traditions of family gatherings continue to be important to me. I am from Athens, Georgia where I spent my adolescence supported by church youth group activities on the one hand and the opportunities afforded a teenager in a university town on the other! I am from the University of Georgia where I finally decided on education after several false starts of other career choices and so glad I did. I am from meeting the love of my life (or at least the last 43 years of it) while waitressing nights in college. I am from learning his life story, so different from mine, and blending his story with mine to form an us. I am from years of struggle to have children to the blessings of our family with our two girls. I am from 35 years living and working in North Carolina, going to grad school (Go HEELS!), raising our family and experiencing the joys and sorrows that life brings, including cancer and survival. I am from Savannah, Georgia, where I am blessed to be with my husband and new and caring friends and my AVID work family who is second to none.

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A colleague and I recently had a chance to chat. Something unusual in the roles we hack. He noted my unique voice, but being from Western North Carolina I had little choice.
He knew of the pride and rich heritage of the region, for he too spoke with a similar legion. Our conversation soon turned to days of old, when our thoughts and deeds were grand and bold. We talked of fried chicken and collard greens, and all of the chocolate cakes and peach pies in between. He shared his story of being raised by grand ma and grand dad, although an aunt and uncle it was, a similar story I also had. Even though I had invited him into my place, I was highly pleased when he asked to start the meal by saying grace. We had both played ball in our younger years, our stories and laughter almost brought us to tears. Stories of his wife and two children made him smile, it was obvious I too had walked a similar mile. We had known each other for most of our adult life, yet never realized we shared similar strife. When you share with others where you are from, you may be surprised from which we all come.

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I am from Cleveland, Ohio. In the 60’s and 70’s, while I was growing up, people called it the “mistake on the lake,” due in part to the fact that the Cuyahoga River once caught on fire and the lake was so polluted that people said you could walk on it. Cleveland also has major league sports teams that have seen their share of struggle and disappointment. One of them has been around for 120 years and is now working to find a new name for itself. The sun almost never shines, statically about 60 days a year, and winters are long, cold, and gray. On the other hand, they have some great museums and a world class orchestra as well as opera, a newish professional ballet company, and theater. My love for the arts was born in gritty, scrappy Cleveland.

I am from a large, noisy family, number five of seven. Born to parents with modest ambitions, school was a place for kids to go during the day and education was not appreciated, facilitated, or encouraged. My parents’ aim was to move us out of their house as soon as we graduated high school, and earlier if possible. Of the seven, only four of us finished high school and none went to college upon graduation. The other three eventually got GEDs and all of us pursued some degree of education or vocational training on our own, as adults.

I am from a 40- year marriage, family dinners, hauling kids to school, lessons, practice, youth group, and many unforgettable family vacations. I am from standing in the ice rink at 5am. I am from loving, nurturing, coaching, dreaming, learning, growing, seeking to know and understand, and doing my best to hit the curve balls life has thrown at me.

While growing up, I longed to go to college but there was no opportunity, so when I had my own large, noisy family, my dreams for them were bigger than my reality had been. Now one of those noisy kids has a Master’s degree, one has a PhD, and two are PhD candidates nearing the end of their educational journeys. I could not be prouder, because in addition to having accomplished much more than I even hoped for them, they are really amazing people who are making a difference in the world.

Now my house is quiet, and sometimes I really miss the noise.

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I am from a mid-sized suburb in the Twin Cities via the east side of St. Paul, MN.
I am from a home that my husband and I and our 2 daughters built within 1 mile of both of our families and where we grew up. It is the kind of place that is hard to leave and we often meet up with our parents and siblings for random bike rides to the Dairy Queen.
I am from a school system where I grew up, graduated, taught and now support. I appreciate the opportunity to inform my children's education through the relationships I have built.
I am from a home built on love, by two parents who would do anything for their children, both then and now. We know that our place in life is very much a result of their love, encouragement and support.
I am from a wide world full of beauty and diversity and I take every chance I get to explore different parts of it and to learn about what I don't see every day.

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Where I am From via Wakelet: https://wke.lt/w/s/hqFDGx

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I am from rural eastern North Carolina. During the 1960's and 70's, our region was known for "golden leaf" tobacco, crops and livestock.

I am from 1st generation college graduate in my family.

As high school graduates, my parent's didn't have alot of resources but they did teach us the importance of integrity, hard work and respecting others.

I am from a family of 5 where we lived in rental homes all of our lives. My mom and dad never owned their own home.  I recall cold winter nights with only 1 heater in the living room and no heat in the bedrooms.. but we were blessed with plenty of blankets.

I am from a family and extended family which are important part of our lives. Family gatherings on Sunday at my grandparent's home after attending church were always happy occasions.
Food is the common element that kept us together.  Homemade banana pudding with Meringue topping (served warm) was always and remains a  favorite treat.

I am from a grandfather who was a story teller... In his later years he could no longer farm and opened a small country general store which had been left vacant for 15 years.  It is here where I learned the power of family, stories and community.  Phrases such as "that worries my mule" were his favorite.

Today our family bond continues...my nephew graduated on 5/7/2021 from East Carolina University (Summa Laude). He served as SGA President and delivered his graduation speech to all graduates.  Neither of his parents are college graduates. (1st generation).

He called to thank me for supporting him and his family.....

I am from the the power of family and community!

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I am from 14098 Joel Ct. Largo, FL but I got here via multiple states.

I am from Las Vegas where everything has to look good but everything doesn’t have to be good. In my house it looked much better than it was.

I came from two parents who appeared to be happily married until I was 19 and I abruptly found out that it only looked good.

I am also from a tiny town in Virginia where neighbors were family and everyone knew everyone else’s business. I learned I like being a big fish in a little pond.

I am from Florida where the sun shines brightly but storms sneak up on you. Those storms can be weather related or life related.

I am from a happy marriage where we choose to work together and love one another. We have fun together, by choice, even after 22 years.

I am from hard work and performance. In my world, those go hand in hand.

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I am from One Cambridge Court where neighborhood friends played together all year long from morning until dusk - riding bikes, playing kickball, playing board games, creating chalk art, sledding....I cherish those memories and friendships

I am from a family with two parents who were teachers; which meant success in school was essential and college was expected.  With mom and dad home all summer our "family meals" included breakfast, lunch, and dinner - a tradition that continues for my own children - at least for dinner.

I am from a place with lists and chores and responsibilities to get done; I am still from this place - but I am working on channeling my energy toward hobbies and fun family activities.   I hope to move to a place where relaxing is okay - where I focus on the now instead of planning for tomorrow - but change is slow

I am from large extended families that gathered often for holidays, vacations, and special occasions. With both my grandmothers living well into their 90s they were the glue that bound the families together.  We still repeat my grandmother's sayings when we gather today - "Your name is going to be mud….see my pinky, see my thumb, see my fist, you better run…"

Food is large part of where I am from.  Italian and Middle Eastern recipes from my father's side of the family have been passed down and are still made for special family gatherings.  The annual "clambake" brings back happy childhood memories of homemade chowder, and my grandma's dinner rolls; a tradition we are planning to bring back this summer with our 1st annual clambake reunion.

I am from a father who is suffering from dementia and a mother who is struggling as his caregiver.  How can I help them when they live so far away?  Why is this happening?  Why can't scientists figure out how cure this disease?  It is so hard to watch your dad - who you looked up to all your life, slowly slip away.

I am from friends and family who have supported and encouraged me; who have helped me to be a better mother, wife, educator, and person.   I am blessed.

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I am from Delafield Place NW between 4th and 5th street

I am from block parties in Summer and Georgia Avenue Day where the parades where the highlight for me and made it worth my long hike on my banana seat bike.

I am from roller skating in the streets, to jumping Double Dutch on the playground of Barnard Elementary School.

I am from late night runs to the Davie Powell's ice cream truck to daytime skips out from school to walk down to Hampshire Pharmacy for penny candy.

I am from family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas with lots of great cooking from Big Momma and my Aunts.

I am from summers in Dundalk, Maryland and walks down to Day Village in Turners Station.

I am from Sunday service, Wednesday prayer service and Sunday School at Shiloh Baptist Church on Avondale Ave in Sparrow's Point, MD.

I am from snow cones and High's Ice Cream before long boat rides across the Patapsco from the "boat club" to the Inner Harbor.

I am from leaving inner-city DC to moving to rural Cumberland, Virginia where I went from walking to school to riding a school bus.

I am from living on a dirt road with "lightning" bugs replacing street lights.

I am from leaving lifelong friends to making new friends.

I am from coming of age and realizing why I had to move for a better outcome.

I am from driving tractors to driving stick-shifts (manual) - and grinding clutches.

I am from rural high school dances (ones with bonfires and sawdust from dance floors), first crushes and first kisses.

I am from 80s and 90s Hip & Hop and R & B.

I am from listening to WHUR, WPGC and 92Q to iPower 92.

I am from the DMV!

I am from a loving and caring village that never let me feel anything but love. Who provided me support and guidance from the moment I arrived and are still here to support me.

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I am from various states and various places from the West to the East, from my parents, Maria and Glenn, to every person I have interacted with and all my experiences. I am from caution, lest everything explodes. I am from walking on eggshells while growing up, but I am from stomping on them as I grow older. I am from, "If you just could stop worrying…"  I am from anxiety and trying to control what cannot be controlled.  I am from Italian dinners and cannoli desserts and red wine. (2/3 of which I no longer can eat.)

I am from laughter, from the sand and the ocean, from the quiet nights filled with stars to the still mornings with the sounds of birds awakening. I am from nights on the front porch and sunny afternoons spent laying under the trees. I am from books and from reflection and from introspection. I am from chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven and snack after school.  I am from the city and the country, from the mountains and the sea, from beauty found in unlikely places.

I am from daily gratitude, I am from love, I am from deep breathing and meditation. I am from motion and movement and energy. I am from dancing it all out. I am from continually trying to discover my purpose and living up to it. I am from being a tiny bit better than I was yesterday.

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I am from rural next to urban.  I am from a college town that I swore I’d never attend (and so grateful I did).  I am from one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school.  I am from riding the bus to school with K-12 on the same bus.

I am from playing outside until it was dark.  I am from riding bikes “around the block” and the “horseshoe”.  I am from “hide and go seek”.

I am from having the encyclopedia in my home that opened the world to me.

I am from picking black berries right off the vine.  I am from cobbler being my favorite.

I am from Kenneth and Patricia (Kenneth tried and Patricia could not be bothered).

I am from assimilation and self-editing.  I am from the privilege of being lighter.

I am from food as comfort and control.

I am from Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays being just another day.

I am from dreaming of NYC and finally getting there.

I am from 30 being old and blessed to make it over 50.

I am from beautiful men dropping like flies in the 80s and 90s.  I am from attending funerals of those who did not survive the plague.

I am from “I’m Black and I’m Proud” to “Black Lives Matter”.

I am from making my ancestors proud and I am aware of it and strive to do it daily.

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I am from a home of grits for breakfast and fried bologna for lunch and possibly fried chicken or spaghetti for dinner.  My brothers were engaged in every sport available.  It never occurred to anyone to teach me how to throw a ball or to ask if I was interested so, I became really good at school and play.  Playing teacher was one of my favorite games.  My Mom was all nurturing.  My Dad was the absent provider.  The absence created eventual and obvious stress  with hidden arguments between the adults while the children pretended it was all ok.

I took what I learned and became a nurturing, powerful educator of children and now adults.  I am proud of my family and where I come from.  I love our strengths and appreciate our weaknesses.  I strive to support all of us who enter work wanting the same support, opportunity, love and encouragement.

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I am from a home with laughter and the sound of children giggling as they play. I know one day that sound will no longer fill the rooms, but it will always ring in my mind. A fond memory from my childhood is Sunday “dinners,” which were usually around 2pm. Fried chicken, pot roast, chicken and rice… followed by watching stock car racing with my father until he fell asleep for a nap. He was a former race car driver, then turned minister, so I guess Sundays would always be his busy day of the week. A saying that I was told, and I tell my children is “love God and love others.” We call ourselves Team SMOKE – Sarah, Matthew, Olivia, Knox and Eli. We are a team, and we hold each other to our value of loving others. One of Team SMOKE’s favorite things to do is to take our six-seater golf cart on a drive around our neighborhood, which is a common practice of many neighbors. The water is a special place for me as it frees me from my to do list and all the things I “need” to get done. It is just me, the boat, and the water. As a child a special place was my Great Grandma’s farm in Lake City, FL. I was free to roam safely, picking blueberries and chasing butterflies. I loved the independence! A special item in my home are four gold doves engraved with my Grandparents’ names and the dates they lived and loved. Our family speaks the languages of love, kindness, patience, gentleness, and self-control. Some days we are more fluent in those languages then other days.

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Where I am from…

I was born from a hardworking dad and a dedicated mother. I was born the fifth of seven siblings in 1955. Times were not easy for my dad and mom. Though very hard working, dad did not make a lot of money as an auto mechanic and mom was too busy raising eight kids to be able to help support the family monetarily. For the first eight years of my life, mom and dad did the best they could but raised us in a barn. There was no indoor water; we went outdoors to get our water from a hand pump in the well. The outhouse was about two hundred feet from the barn and was a long cold trek in the winter, especially in the middle of the night.

On Saturday nights, mom would heat up pots of water on the wood burning cook stove and pour them into a tub. The eldest sister would go first, followed in age by the rest of us to take a bath. Being fifth in line, the water was already cold and dirty, I felt sorry for my three younger sisters.

The wood burning cook stove also served as our heater in the winter. Dad would stoke the stove before bed and it would burn for a few hours until we were asleep. We would wake up with about a quarter inch of ice on the inside of the barn walls.

Every morning before school, we would have to tend to our couple of pigs and the one cow and feed the dozens of chickens. It was necessary because along with a vegetable garden this was almost all of the food we had. The government would give us powdered milk and chunks of cheese and Spam and bags of beans but going to the store for groceries was not possible.

In the spring, mom and the girls would butcher the chickens and freeze the meat for the year. In the fall dad and the boys would butcher the pigs and the cow for our winter food.

Life in my early years was rough and when I was thirteen years old, I went to work full time to help with the family finances. These were the best years of my life and I would not change a thing about them!