I AM - A POEM
I am a mother
I am a PuertoRican woman
I am a mental health therapist
As a mother, I denounce the murder of Palestinian children
As a PuertoRican woman, I denounce occupation and colonization
As a mental health therapist, I denounce the traumatization and dehumanization of Palestinian men, women, and children
I am a mother - my love extends beyond my child to those children left motherless
I am a mother - my love extends beyond myself to those mothers who have suffered the ultimate loss of their children
I am a mother - my soul is in mourning
I am a mother
I am a PuertoRican woman - I stand against systems of oppression that defend the murder of innocents
I am a PuertoRican woman - I stand against genocide and ethnic cleansing from Palestine to the Democratic Republic of Congo
I am a PuertoRican woman - ¡Que Viva La Resistencia!
I am a PuertoRican woman
I am a mental health therapist - I am committed to antiracist therapeutic practices
I am a mental health therapist - I am committed to standing against illegal occupations and colonizations of stolen land
I am a mental health therapist - I am committed to having needed conversations about genocide and trauma
I am a mental health therapist
I am a mother
I am a PuertoRican woman
I am a mental health therapist
I will not silence my voice
By: Ingrid Camacho
11/15/2023
This poem came to me late one night a few days ago as I was thinking about the privilege it was to have my son next to me, breathing and thriving. My job as a therapist is not always an easy one, but my role on this earth is clear - I must stand against genocide, ethnic cleansing, colonization, and occupation. Mental health cannot thrive under these conditions, which means I cannot remain silent under these conditions. My silence would do a disservice to my commitment to my clients - past, present, and future. My silence would do a disservice to my identity as a PuertoRican, whose history is marred by occupation, colonization, and genocide. My silence would do a disservice to my son, who I want to model how to use his voice to give representation to those who are marginalized and oppressed. This violence must end - it must start with a ceasefire and finish with a free Palestine!
