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Ode to my Spanish tongue
Spanish being my first language but somehow, I am more fluent in English
Trying to hide the fierce lion mane to look like the girls I see on TV
Being drowned in Eurocentric features and standards
But I will swim up
I will swim till I cannot no more
I will swim and swim, but I will not hide the tongue that I was honored with
I will not “tame” the hair that passed down from my father and his parents and theirs and theirs
Why should I envy my beautiful skin?
The skin that represents hard work, dedication, and humility
Within me are my ancestors that have the fierceness of a lion
The lion is me and I am the lion
The way my tongue is dressed will never be taken away from me
So do not try to dress my tongue in other things
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Hello,
My name is Gabriela Gonzalez-Rivas and I am in 11th grade. I wanted to write this poem for all the young POC girls out there. For the POC girls who struggle with insecurities and feeling proud of who they are because they are trying to reach the standards that are shoved into their faces. To let them know they are beautiful just the way they are.