By Lujira Cooper
Today, we cry for those who’ve died. We weep for those murdered, and then we fight. For too long we’ve hidden to forget the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” thrown at us. NO MORE. Neither do we hide under a rock nor in a closet obscuring our true selves. No longer do we allow others to define us. WE DEFINE OURSELVES. We stand tall in our beingness. “We refuse to be invisible.” Yes, the shadows darken as forces rise to defeat us however, we’re the light. We are not violent people until violence comes to us. WE DEFEND OURSELVES. As blazing beacons of light, we shine through the darkness. WE SHINE. Yes, life will get harder during this time of darkness, and yet we will survive, thrive, and live. We’re here for our younger brothers and sisters. We will not permit our elimination. Some of us may perish in this fight but it is a battle worth fighting. Some of us may hide until the horrors are over, I understand. There are times to step back, though I don’t think now is that time, I understand doing so. If horrors come, we will create places of safety. We create our own UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. Eventually, we will defeat the dragon at our door. As The Bible says, “Everything must change.” Nothing lasts forever, neither good nor bad. However, we will survive and grow. Each one of you is one of many faces and bodies determined to live your life. We know our lives are sacred. Attacks will bombard us like a tsunami and yet we’ll ride these waves of hatred into peace and love. We will assuage our pain with friends and community. Today begins our fight to exist and we do. We are challenged and rise to accept it. We will use our united anger to fight, and we will win. Just by not giving up we have won.
