I Know Where to Stand – a message to my students

-         ©Michael Raucci 2020

I Know that I am your Teacher, I Know That I am your Friend, and I Know that I am your Advocate,

But in these uncertain times, I am unsure of how to play my role, how to speak my voice, how to move to action, and how to plan for Our future.

Still, I Know Where to Stand. 

What is my part in pointing out inequity, my contributions towards recognition and equality, my strategy for reconciliation?

I do not know, but I Know Where to Stand.

I Know that Your Pain is Real and it cannot be, “soothed.”

That Your Anger is Real and it cannot be, “tamed.”

That Your Fear is Real and it cannot be, “diminished.”

That Your Vulnerability Matters and it cannot be, “dismissed.”

I Know that Your Context is YOU – It cannot be, “disregarded.”

I tremble, but I Know Where to Stand.

I mourn the deaths, I mourn the intolerance, I mourn the division, and I mourn the injustice,

And so, I Stand alongside of You -

Recognizing, that I cannot feel it the same way that You do, or understand it the same way that You do.

But I Know Where to Stand; mouthing through the tears, “I support You.”

I know the past; I understand the challenge, but I can never know how it feels, deep inside one’s gut, to be Afraid of the protectors, to Distrust the system, to be Marginalized, and to be Oppressed.

I hold your hand; Sweating, Shaking, Squeezing, as I Stand alongside of You.

I honestly feel like I don’t know what to do in this moment,

So, I cry with you, I rage with you, I love you with all of my heart.

I am uncertain, my confidence is faltering, my perception of reality is changing,

But I Know Where to Stand.