“ The tension between people is palpable, and the ideal of what it means to be and look American becomes a preoccupation to folks around the country, including me. Raquel Cepeda
“ ...being Latino means being from everywhere, and that is exactly what America is supposed to be about. Raquel Cepeda
“ I guess it all depends on whom you ask and when you ask. Race, I've learned, is in the eye of the beholder. Raquel Cepeda
“ I remember feeling that pieces of me were scattered around the world; I belonged to her, Mother Earth. Raquel Cepeda
“ Lately, Mami’s eyes have been so dark, I don’t like looking into them because I’m afraid I’ll fall in. Raquel Cepeda
“ I fall in love with Paraíso. It’s like a giant playground where I’m never scolded for running around recklessly, where I’m almost overwhelmed with the amount of attention and love I receive from Mami’… Raquel Cepeda
“ The past is buried deep within the ground in Rabat, although the ancient walls in the old city are still standing, painted in electrifying variations of royal blue that make the winding roads look lik… Raquel Cepeda
“ Hip-hop...has been the proverbial key that’s opened the door for me to roam this breathtaking planet. Raquel Cepeda
“ Globalization by the way of McDonald’s and KFC has captured the hearts, the minds, and from what I can see through the window, the growing bellies of the folks here. Raquel Cepeda
“ I wish she’d said something different, but patriarchy is as prevalent around the world as racism and xenophobia are. We can’t hide from it, not even here. Raquel Cepeda
“ More than anything, this place feels familiar. I bury my hands in the hot sand and think about the embodiment of memory or, more specifically, our natural ability to carry the past in our bodies and m… Raquel Cepeda
“ I think Dad wanted to feel the pain, to feel his body cry, an urgent reminder that he was still alive. I pretended not to notice. Raquel Cepeda
“ If it weren’t for her setting me free, I may still be a caged bird today, holding my own daughter captive on a shit-laden perch. Raquel Cepeda
“ While America will always, I think, feel foreign to me, New York City is my home. This is where I can construct my own identity freely and reject labels imposed on me. Raquel Cepeda
“ Even the juncture in history and the zeitgeist we live in is something we choose, setting the scene for the spiritual fodder we need to grow and achieve deeper elevation of our souls. Raquel Cepeda
“ When we illuminate the road back to our ancestors, they have a way of reaching out, of manifesting themselves...sometimes even physically. Raquel Cepeda
“ I have never bought into the idea that blood is thicker than water. Love and respect are meant to be earned from our children, our spouses, our families, and our friends. Raquel Cepeda
“ Individually, every grain of sand brushing against my hands represents a story, an experience, and a block for me to build upon for the next generation. Raquel Cepeda
