Taking Back Our Names

by the Young Women's Freedom Center. Originally published in their blog hereOur words can change the world. At YWFC [Young Women's Freedom Center] we are taking back the page, the stage, and the airwaves. Read, watch, and listen to our work on this blog.Nobody gets to tell us who we are, but they try all the time. Here are words of resistance from YWFC women:Julia Gabriella Guzman Arroyo:Too skinny, dumb, slow, special ed, orphan,Too hairy, back hair, mustache, unibrowShit, at least I’m warmTroubled, criminal, bastard.Roach.Black/Brown,Pur misquesHoe shit, dope fiend, whoreSinnerBrujariaBrilliantTalentedChingonaCommittedDanzateWomanMamaHealerKandy Kalani Ifopo: Why is your name KandyYou don’t look like CandyYou don’t taste like CandyEw you’re not even sweetKandy is from my AuntNamed after a woman who is a survivorOf judgement, beatin, hatredand from a culture of structure.Kandy. Why did you name me that mom?It’s like people always make fun of me,I been told that I have a stripper nameAnd that I could be sold for money.Kandy rhymes with Mandy whichYou look to be manly is what othersUsed to taunt me with.I never was accepting of my nameKandyDue to the laughterAnd jokes that scraped layers of confidence awayFrom my whole being.That is a form of violenceA form of evilnessAnd the fuelFor hatred.I wish that I had love embedded in me growing up,But I have it now.Never again will you contribute to my identity.Mel Jerome:What they call me--Too much.They call my passion aggressionMy feelings, irrelevant.My heart...so upset.They call me a messI say it’s due to theStress.The stress they provideTemporary authority overMy grown ass life.They call my honestyAnger.Truth endangered byThe bullshit.The bullshit I can’t lift,Don’t want to take.Bullshit Bullshit inYour faceLucero Herrera: Lucero, Luce, Light, Nah is LuceroIt means starNah my name is LuceroIt may stand for that or other thingsIt stands for me, Lucero, Me, not LucheroMy mom named me LuceroWho is JonathanMy mom named by brother Remberto, not RobertoRemberto, hate when our names aren’t pronounced rightHere we goKids can’t even pronounce my nameNot even my teacher.I should have just been called Lisa,No then they would call me pizza.