Yo Soy Chicana

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Yo soy Chicana. A woman who was born in the United States, but whose roots are in the red clay of Mexico. My high cheek bones and sharp nose disclose my native mixing. My dark eyes point to the Spanish conqueror who was formerly conquered by the Moors. I am blended, I am exotic. You cannot pin me down. 

I am a woman of color. Whose blood runs as red as my lipstick color of choice. The vibrant colors of the sarape are reflected in the bold color and patterns that grace the curves that I've inherited from my mothers. I stand out, by choice and by a deep influence that demands the attention of others. 

I am the warrior. The "adelita" who rides bareback into war. A warrior whose pistol bounces off of the curve of my childbearing hip. A warrior whose bandolier wraps my full chest and accentuates my narrow waist. I am beauty and power who is ready for the fight of the everyday.

I am a force of love. A woman full of passion and a fire within. Eyes that burn and desire a fullness of life. A life that dives and does not sway. A woman who seeks the loveliness of the now. A woman who sees the richness that lives right above our plane of sight. I want the force that echos the swing of my hips and the beat of my ancestors' planted heart. 

Yo soy Chicana.