To Johan on the Occasion of Your 12th Birthday

Dear Johan:

When I think back on you being eleven, it seems like everything changed this year.  You have moved from childhood into adolescence, and you are doing it with grace and in a style very much your own.  You met with the Minneapolis Chief of Police, and asked him what he was doing to make it safer to be a person of color in our city.  You graduated from elementary school and gave an inspiring speech to your classmates. You got a phone. You flew unchaperoned to California.  You started middle school and earned a Student of the Month award within weeks.  You have reconnected and started building independent relationships with your family in the Dominican Republic.   It’s been a big year.

And yet, it’s the things that haven’t changed that remind me no matter what life holds, you will rise to the occasion.  

It’s the way you know yourself and stay steady when the waters are racing. 

It’s the way you cheer for your soccer teammates and laugh freely whether the game is a win or a loss.

It’s the way you swing baby Lila in the air, just wild enough to be fun but gentle enough to be safe.  

It’s the loving way you and your best friend look at each other and have each other's back.

It’s the way you still want blueberries and peanut butter on your waffles.  

It’s the way you lean into discovering more about yourself, from learning how to care for your beautiful curls to practicing Spanish on your own accord.

It’s the way you wear Uncle David’s silver bracelet to school every day because it comforts you.  

It’s the way you enthusiastically accept new challenges and adventures, whether it's tasting a new preparation of squid or going snowboarding in the mountains of Colorado.

It’s the way you speak truth to power and tell your peers that bigoted speech is never ok. 

It’s the way you show up authentically yourself every single day.

It is a great joy to witness you become the confident, powerful force for justice you were born to be.  I am here for it all, with a hug, a reminder to wear your hat when it’s cold, and as the loudest member of your cheering section.

Happy 12^th Birthday to my sweet bear. 

Love,

Mom