They labeled me a Xennial...
I am...
a micro generation
an American mutt
a woman
an artist
a mother
a believer
in 2020 the United States Census plans to further categorize my racial identity
is this in order to clarify the genealogy?
my ancestors hail from all over Continental Europe.
on some sides of the family tree, I can't even count what generation
American I am.
beginning in the 1600's, they emigrated to these fair shores
America, the Beautiful.
this grand adventure continued on and on
beginning in many different countries, but all ending up here in the "New World"
but the last time that we did have a 1st generation was
my great grandmother.
born in 1892 after her Danish parents came over.
when I was born, she was 90.
so I know that I am one eighth Danish...
the rest of the pie chart gets complicated
is it so they can decide who makes the cut?
how far back
must our ancestors had to have immigrated
to be considered legitimate?
&
which proud heritage do I claim?
&
am I proud?
proud to be an American?
proud to be white?
proud to be a woman?
proud to be me?
Danish
German
English
Scottish
French
Alsatian
Austrian
etc...
there are more or those are quite possibly wrong.
how far back will we need to verify our documentation?
recently this quote was Church to me:
"We may have all come over on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1968
most of us came here at different times and from different places.
there are Native Americans, you know.
does America belong to the people who have lived here the longest?
or the ones who chose to journey here?
or the ones who were brought here against their will?
or the ones who sought sanctuary here?
or the ones who are dreamers?
or the ones who are believers?
because
now that we are all here together,
now is the time that WE must stand together.
we are a people divided over our deep and abiding hurts
both past and present.
we cannot be a MY America
it must be OUR America
& our goal should not be to make America GREAT again
instead
let it be that we somehow become the UNITED States
for once.
there will be
many battles that we must face
are we striving towards freedom, peace and democracy?
or continued discord and destruction?
repentance & reconcilliation
acceptance & understanding
are all vital
can there be peace talks?
a micro generation
an American mutt
a woman
an artist
a mother
a believer
in 2020 the United States Census plans to further categorize my racial identity
is this in order to clarify the genealogy?
my ancestors hail from all over Continental Europe.
on some sides of the family tree, I can't even count what generation
American I am.
beginning in the 1600's, they emigrated to these fair shores
America, the Beautiful.
this grand adventure continued on and on
beginning in many different countries, but all ending up here in the "New World"
but the last time that we did have a 1st generation was
my great grandmother.
born in 1892 after her Danish parents came over.
when I was born, she was 90.
so I know that I am one eighth Danish...
the rest of the pie chart gets complicated
is it so they can decide who makes the cut?
how far back
must our ancestors had to have immigrated
to be considered legitimate?
&
which proud heritage do I claim?
&
am I proud?
proud to be an American?
proud to be white?
proud to be a woman?
proud to be me?
Danish
German
English
Scottish
French
Alsatian
Austrian
etc...
there are more or those are quite possibly wrong.
how far back will we need to verify our documentation?
recently this quote was Church to me:
"We may have all come over on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1968
most of us came here at different times and from different places.
there are Native Americans, you know.
does America belong to the people who have lived here the longest?
or the ones who chose to journey here?
or the ones who were brought here against their will?
or the ones who sought sanctuary here?
or the ones who are dreamers?
or the ones who are believers?
because
now that we are all here together,
now is the time that WE must stand together.
we are a people divided over our deep and abiding hurts
both past and present.
we cannot be a MY America
it must be OUR America
& our goal should not be to make America GREAT again
instead
let it be that we somehow become the UNITED States
for once.
there will be
many battles that we must face
are we striving towards freedom, peace and democracy?
or continued discord and destruction?
repentance & reconcilliation
acceptance & understanding
are all vital
can there be peace talks?
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