Forgiveness
This Is Not Love Nneka Nicholas This Is Not Love Nneka Nicholas

Forgiveness

As Shea sat in the pew listening to Father Lewis preach about forgiveness, her mind wandered back to the trial. Fr. Lewis was getting into the throes of the sermon and showed no signs of letting up any time soon. She allowed her thoughts to drift.

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NESTED
More Stories Javanna Cumberbatch More Stories Javanna Cumberbatch

NESTED

My gratitude for your kindness was never expressed

For I was too young to be grateful

Too young to care, understand, or appreciate

You blessed three little girls of color

And valued their mother, a loyal worker for years

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Freedom
More Stories Claudette Thompson More Stories Claudette Thompson

Freedom

Basic freedom was denied

And daily I cried.

Labeled as the “weaker sex”

Taunted mercilessly. My soul grew vex.

Wretched. Worthless

An imbecile. Senseless.

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Un/furled
Growing up Queer Akilah Growing up Queer Akilah

Un/furled

My doormmates whispered about “the lesbian book”. When I told my church youth group my mother had transferred me to an all girls boarding school the elder boys regaled everyone with tales about the lesbians there who used bottles as substitute dildos.

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Open Secrets
Growing up Queer David Simon Growing up Queer David Simon

Open Secrets

Since I last saw you I’ve been thinking. Thinking about you. Thinking about us, about home, about those kids whose journey mirrors yours and mine, A journey walking with fear. 

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Praying for her Nádleehi
Growing up Queer Ade' Arthur Growing up Queer Ade' Arthur

Praying for her Nádleehi

She wanted the baby to be okay. Slowly the vision started and she knew, she knew the way that mothers’ know. She knew that this was her child, even though the person in her vision was not a baby, not even a small child, she knew that this was her baby and yes her child was beautiful.

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these burdens that I carry
More Stories J’Anna-Mare Lue (劉 家明) More Stories J’Anna-Mare Lue (劉 家明)

these burdens that I carry

everything destroyed in reverence of a new god, an unfamiliar god, they called him money. this god had power unlike any my people knew before, and to how my grandfather told it - it demanded servitude, offerings, and sacrifice like no other. It was an angry god.

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