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"History is not the past. It is the present. We carry history with us. We are our history.” In other words: You're a product of your environment. Now that term is usually relegated to people from low-income, crime-infested areas…but why? We are all a product of our environment. Your existence is an amalgamation of every triumph, every hard-won battle, every woman who had an idea and massaged it, and had the courage to use it to change the world. Every person who survived slavery, Jim Crow and the black codes, to the Trail of Tears, wars…and passed their dreams on to you—of love, of hate. Yup, you are also the product of the other: Of silence, of apathy, a school built on stolen ground. Of women, a parent, grandparent, ancestor who suppressed dreams and ideas, who died with lost potential and horrific memories of sexual assault, mental illness, who didn't feel good enough, or pretty enough or ENOUGH. Even your anxiety is part of your history…and yet here you are. Privileged, blessed…to do…what?

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“History / is not / the past. // It is the present. // We carry history / with us. // We are / our history.” // In other words: // You're a product / of your environment. // Now that term / is usually / relegated / to people / from low-income, / crime-infested areas… / but why? // We are all / a product / of our / environment. // Your existence / is an amalgamation / of every triumph, / every hard-won battle, / every woman / who had an idea / and massaged it, / and had the courage / to use it / to change the world. // Every person / who survived slavery, / Jim Crow / and the black codes, / to the Trail of Tears, / wars… / and passed their dreams / on to you / —of love, / of hate. // Yup, / you are also / the product / of the other: // Of silence, / of apathy, / a school / built on stolen ground. // Of women, // a parent, / grandparent, / ancestor / who suppressed dreams / and ideas, / who died / with lost potential / and horrific memories / of sexual assault, / mental illness, / who didn't feel / good enough, / or pretty enough / or / ENOUGH. / Even your anxiety / is part of your history… / and yet / here you are. // Privileged, / blessed… / to do… / what? //

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There are two roads that I see that people usually take: The choice to think that your path is all about you and your success, how high you can climb in your career and your status. Or, the so-called “save the world” approach, where you have a vision for the world and, by God, you will change it because you're different. The first road requires you to mistake your presence for the event, to be in complete denial; and, the second requires you only to deny the really bad stuff. It requires you to forget racism, not see color, intersectionality, poverty… “but maybe I'll take the sexism because it pertains to me.” Forget any evidence in my family of mental illness, of violence. Forget anything in me that will get in the way. Forget my fear, my pain. BOTH dead end. Both result in well-intentioned, very bright, enthusiastic people doing NOTHING. How about this as a novel idea: How about owning it? Owning ALL of it—the good and the bad. Own the fact that the 39 delegates who wrote the greatest document, with the greatest mission statement, wrote it when slavery was an institution, Native Americans were being slaughtered and women were fighting for their lives.

Let's follow Viola...

There are two roads / that I see / that people usually take: // The choice to think / that your path / is all about you / and your success, / how high / you can climb in your career / and your status. // Or, the so-called / “save the world” approach, / where you have a vision / for the world / and, by God, / you will change it / because you're different. // The first road / requires you to mistake / your presence / for the event, / to be in / complete denial; / and, the second / requires you / only to deny / the really bad stuff. // It requires you to / forget racism, / not see color, / intersectionality, / poverty… / “but maybe / I'll take the sexism / because it pertains / to me.” // Forget / any / evidence in my family / of mental illness, / violence. // Forget anything in me / that will get in / the way. // Forget my fear, / my pain. // BOTH / dead end. // Both / result in well-intentioned, / very bright, / enthusiastic people / doing NOTHING. // How about this as a novel idea: // How about / owning it? // Owning ALL of it / —the good and the bad. // Own the fact / that the 39 delegates / who wrote the greatest document, / with the greatest / mission statement, / wrote it / when slavery was an institution, / Native Americans / were being slaughtered / and women / were fighting for their lives. //