to lucha, with love

all my love and gratitude to lucha, mi nanita who worked the crop fields with her hands, who said la sangre hace su oficio, who brought her dreams and our family to américa; and to mollie, my great-grandmother, who stowed away as a teenage girl on a ship docked in russia, fleeing violence that sought our kind to bring her future and our family to america; to my mother carol, who brought her children up despite all the challenges and assaults upon her well being here in this land called america; and to all of my family who made it possible for me to be here today. i keep you all in my mind when i need strength, and when i think of what it is i want to lend my hand to in my life.

i must add that today, i have done away with explanations and excuses, and am confident in my ability to know when to let love rule, and when to swing like ten motherfuckers. so stand and be counted, or step aside, fools!

¡adelante!