Writer.
Hello Sunday
It’s okay for him to be gay they say
As long as he doesn’t flaunt it
April 13, 2022
On this day in Black history
I put my armor on
Wondering how fast I’ll need to run…
The Epic of la Morena
Abuela sweeps her hair back
Ties it up
Soy fea. I am ugly…
Smoke-Stained Sky
“Ethnically ambiguous.” I have adopted this short phrase to describe my appearance. Most people in West Michigan cannot identify my ethnicity without asking. Really, I am the love product of a brown Dominican daddy and a fair-skinned Puerto Rican mom. You can see that...
Red, White, and Blue
The red, white and blue lights flashed in the mirror and the familiar sting of fear crawled through my stomach. “Not today,” I thought. “Please, don’t let it be today.” The lady riding in the passenger seat of my vehicle whispered to me, “Just stay calm.” Her short,...
Homenaje
"It was early Tuesday morning and I was alone, working on my laptop at a coffee shop. Only a few days into January, the new year was still fresh. Decidedly, I had no resolutions in place, other than trying to keep up with the curve. I was moments away from packing up...
Called to Rejection
They called me “100% gringo.” If I had been white enough to blush, my anger and frustration would have instantly been revealed. However, my skin wasn’t white. They didn’t see my anger, frustration and shame. Back in the United States, calling a Latino a gringo was...
Get Lost
Roberto and I have been developing a friendship. Since I have arrived in León, Nicaragua, we've been working together doing urban ministry trainings in different locations throughout the city. Our mode of travel is Roberto’s motorbike. He drives and I hop on the...
God’s Country
We were just on a busy road, whipping through the alleys of a city. Then, we’re in a neighborhood that seems like it’s been somewhat forgotten. It’s strange, but a strange that’s becoming familiar…
Rising
Usually, for me, one of the most nerve wrecking things about air travel is air travel. If you get in a car accident, you get out of the car and put your feet on the ground. If a ship starts to sink, you put on a life jacket and swim to shore. When it comes to...