We continue our Who Am I? (¿Quién Soy Yo?) series with a poem by beauty and natural hair blogger, Anyiné (Angie) Galván Rodríguez, of AfrolatinaNatural.com.
I am from … / Yo soy de…
By Anyiné Galván Rodríguez
I am from ocean breezes warm to the soul
From salsa caliente with sazón.
I’m from “pelo malo”, big hips, and big lips.
I’m from family reunions in which
the main dish consists of pork chops, plantains,
rice, and beans.
I am from a mixture of African rhythms,
Spanish boleros,
and indigenous beats.
I am from islands that dance
with each other through their similarities.
I am from abuelitos wearing guayaberas
and grandmas walking around with old chancletas.
I am from a place full of melancholic
daydreams of a white sand beach.
I am from a revolving door between
the Caribbean and the windy city.
I am from
Sammy Sosa
and
Roberto Clemente
combined.
I am from where by five you know how to master Dominó.
I am from flags that consist of white blue and red,
yet they have so many different tones and shades.
I am from where amor de familia is number one.
I am from this collage composed of pictures of
La CTA, Humboldt park, Santo Domingo and El viejo San Juan.
I am from here, there, everywhere.
“Ni de aquí, ni de allá”
I am from ocean breezes warm to the soul
From salsa caliente with sazón
I am from so many places
that at times I feel as if I’m from nowhere.
But what I’m sure of is that I AM
el Español
el Taino
y el Negro.
¡Yo soy yo!
To connect with A. Galvan Rodriguez, please visit:
Blog: www.AfrolatinaNatural.com
Instagram: @afrolatinanatural
Facebook: AfroLatina Natural
Photo credits:
Images 1-3: AfriCaribe‘s July 2015 Monthly Bombazo via Charlie Billups Photography
Image 4: Maisonet Photography
Rebecca
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Ana says
December 17, 2015 at 11:58 amThank you Anyine Galvan-Rodriguez! While this poem is your own experience, please know that through your work you are reflecting the experience and sentiments of so many of us Latinos who stay connected to our roots but also have made the US our home. Thank you again for giving us a voice.