This past Monday the kids at the Center got to do a really dope writing exercise – a letter to our future children passing on whatever we want to pass on to them. So after snack time, Mrs. Mirlande (my fellow Haitian) and the rest of us got them to use their imagination because for some reason they were having a hard time grasping the concept of writing a letter to someone who does not exist. But after some coaxing and pulling some by the teeth, we got some really heart-felt letters out of them, especially the girls. They seemed to touch on the many things that girls and women have to go through, from abuse to drugs, as they addressed their future daughters. Which comes to the one I wrote, which was also to a future daughter, and here it is:

Dear Nia,

I am writing you this letter to say some things that I have always wanted to say to you. I didn’t give you your name by accident. Your mother was not adamant about giving you that name – she thought it was too cliché, because it is one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

From my understanding your name means “purpose” in Swahili, because you like all of us have a purpose – positive or negative. And I believe that your life is meant to find out what that is. I know that it will be hard because life is hard and I also know that being black, female in this world will make that journey even harder.
Unfortunately, on top of that many of the people that will place obstacles in your path will be men like me. I know that you will have to endure pain – both physical and emotional -- because of us, because I have seen what the women in my life have had to go through, including your mother.

So no matter what happens, I want you to push on, knowing that your mother and I love you. I hope you pass that love onto others, and try your best not to hate anyone, even the ones who “deserve” to be the object of it. Life is too short and fragile for your energy to go into letting hurt make you a bitter person.

Remember, you have a purpose, don’t live your life without knowing and searching for what it is. And I hope it is something to leads to helping others.
Love,

Your Pappy
RL