I AM MANY SHADES OF COLORS; OLIVE, WHITE, PEACH, ESPRESSO
I CAME FROM FARAWAY LANDS, ACROSS THE OCEANS
TRAVELLING IN SHIPS, CHAINED OR FREE
I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
MY PEOPLE CAME ACROSS THE BERING STRAIT
BEFORE SETTLING...
I RAN FROM PERSECUTION AND EXECUTION
ESCAPED FAMINE AND POVERTY
BUILT HOMES, SCATTERED SEEDS AND WATCHED THEM GROW
I FOUGHT MANY BATTLES, SOME LOST AND FEW WERE WON
I HAVE SPOKEN MANY LANGUAGES AND SERVED MANY GODS
IN MY FLESH I AM STAINED WITH FLAGS FROM MANY COUNTRIES
MY BLOOD HAS BEEN POURED AND MY BLOOD HAS BEEN CLEANSED
I AM PURE
I AM WHOLE
I AM STRONG AND WEAK
WISE AND DUMB
I AM AN ALIEN
MY NAME IS ANCIENT
I AM A GRANDMOTHER, GRANDFATHER
I AM A MOTHER, A FATHER, A SON AND DAUGHTER
FAMILY IS BORN, LIVES AND DIES
ETERNITY CONTINUES IN THE SACRIFICES OF MY PEOPLE
WHO AM I YOU ASK?
I AM… AMERICA’S FIRST BORN, A BLEND OF SPANISH, AFRICAN, FRENCH, ENGLISH, ITALIAN…