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We are from the hallways of the world

From oceans and sand

We are from land below the sea.

(Hot, humid, and of fresh and salty waters)

We are from palm trees

Tall, exotic and full of energy.

We are from Noel and Navidad, from feast and giving.

From Morales and Jean Baptiste

We are from sharing and discipline.

From “give to receive” and “respect your elders”

We are from crucifixes, vévé, and Sunday service

We are from the Americas and the motherland

Griot, Tasso, Baguette,  Plátanos Fritos, ,Dulce de Leche and Caballo Bayo,

From the bootstraps of Haitian liberators Toussaint Louverture, and Jean Jacque Dessalines,

From the stone thrown by Andres Castro that sparked the revolution in Nicaragua

In the shoebox in a drawer near mother’s bed, lie old family photos etched by time

It is these relics that hold us rooted in our heritage and keep us from forgetting who we are

We, now, are Gators,

We are from the swamp, our home from home

We roam the hallways

Hopping for a refuge, a sanctuary

A place where we can feel safe

Safe from the violence of bullies and bullets.

Safe from words that label, separate, isolate and hurt

We roam the hallways of the swamp looking for

Understanding, acceptance and tolerance

Refuting words like exclusion, and discrimination

Embracing our differences and celebrating our diversities

Who we become emerges from what we do and what we stand for

The swamp needs us to work at making it a place

where anyone can always rely on

a kind word, a friendly smile, and a helping hand

The road to success starts here…. At the Swamp