Growing up in Haiti, I never had to search for “culture.” It lived in the air — in the food, the music, the street sounds, the proverbs of elders, the tim tim bwa chèch stories told under a moonlit night. It wasn’t something we studied; it was something we breathed. There was no need to […]
I’m Done Being Modest
They told us modesty was a virtue. Especially us women. Be soft-spoken. Be agreeable. Don’t take up too much space. Don’t say too many good things about yourself, because that’s “arrogant.” And for a long time, I believed them. But I’m done. As Maya Angelou said, “Modesty is a learned affectation.” And when I heard […]
A Mother’s Love: The Complicated Miracle
They say a mother’s love is the greatest love of all.And yes—it is.It is the first language we ever learn, often without words. It is the hand that holds our tiny body, the soft eyes that watch us sleep, the fierce prayer whispered when we stumble, and the steady presence that echoes even when she’s […]
