Latest Blog Post

ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When I grow up, I want to be able to choose where I'm going to live, without waiting for someone else to decide for me. I want to wake up in the morning knowing that my brother is right there next door, without fear that someone might separate us. I want a house that's really ours, with real walls and a real backyard.

I don't really know what I really want to be when I grow up, but I know I'll find a way. Maybe I'll fix things that are broken, or maybe I'll tell stories. Stories of people who dream, who hope, who never give up. You know, those stories. After all, growing up, for me, isn't just about getting taller or stronger or bigger in every way.

But there's one thing I don't want to lose along the way until I grow up. My mother. I don't want to forget the way her voice was soft when she sang us to sleep, the smell of the coffee she made in the morning, the warmth of the hugs that seemed to hold the whole world inside them. I'm so scared that as I grow up, she'll become more and more distant, as if she were just a dream.

So I close my eyes tightly and try to keep it all inside, so I'll never forget. Because growing up can't mean leaving her behind. Growing up means I want to be just like her. I want to be strong, I want to take care of my brother the way she took care of me, I want to make any place a home, like she did.

And if I can be even a little bit like her, then growing up will be great.