Shoutout to My Parasocial Elders

Shoutout to My Parasocial Elders,

to my Community Healers

whom I’ve never met.

⠀

Shoutout to Mimi Zhu

who taught me to

Be Not Afraid of Love

and to always practice

radical citation

and to own my experiences

because no matter what

they are a part of my journey

to love and be loved.

⠀

Shoutout to Ladyspeech

The Goddess King

who taught me that if I didn’t

do my own work

while I was saving other people

that savior complex was actually

hurting my community

so it was time to confront myself.

⠀

Shoutout to Dr. Raquel Martin

Who continually reminds me that

my Black Womanhood

is automatically scholarly

because these degrees say so

regardless of your perception

of me therefore I no longer need

to remain in the confines of people's

expectations of me.

⠀

Shoutout to thedailyvictorian

Who practices mindfulness

And yoga while delivering

poetry and gave me the thought

that perhaps I could be a poet

and heal myself too.

⠀

Shoutout to my Parasocial Elders

for making me think I could be like you.