Familia Es Familia: My Renewed Faith in Santa Fe
Photo from Facebook.
When a Bishop named Jorge from Buenos Aires took the name Francis, he made an immediate connection with Santa Fe. But when Pope Francis visited Brazil recently, he spoke directly to me, when he said, “who am I to judge?”
You see, when you come from a traditional family with deep roots in this community, the process of accepting that you are gay is complicated with fears about disappointing those you love, or becoming disconnected with a sense of place that is as much a part of me as my sexuality.
Growing up in this town, I felt myself fully embraced by la herencia, the traditional ways that defined the history of Santa Fe. Much of it is beautiful, a celebration of family, a spirit of community, a sense of obligation to those who came before us and responsibility to those who come after us. Knowing you are a part of a continuum gives a young person a sense of place and a sense of pride. These are all gifts I hope to pass on to my two daughters.
But along with that sense of pride also comes, real or perceived, the hint that those who step away from the expected path would be judged poorly, seen as unappreciative or disrespectful, or worse.
[…]
So I gathered the courage to speak with my parents, who responded with a much needed abrazo. I spoke to my friends, who after an initial awkward silence, asked, where are we going for lunch? I spoke to my daughters, who like many in their generation, asked what the big deal was.
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Read the whole thing here: Familia Es Familia: My Renewed Faith in Santa Fe
I hadn’t seen the website ‘Familia es Familia’ before. Here’s a welcome from Dolores Huerta.
The name of New Mexico’s capital, Santa Fe, means ‘holy faith’, so there’s a resonance in the title of the essay. Funny name for a car, though.
Hat tip to NM Telegram.
Former @NMDEMS chairman Javier Gonzales (a rumored candidate for mayor in Santa Fe) came out. #nmpol http://t.co/4ZxbdTGQNY
— NM Telegram (@NMTelegram) August 21, 2013