The Texas I'm Proud to be From

by Anonymous

art by Denisse Gonzalez-Marquez

When I see the news headlines, my palms become drenched in sweat, and I feel a piercing sense of self-doubt for choosing to embrace a brimming hope for the future of the Lone Star State: for the place I was born and grew up in and for the place I call home. I’ll admit, more often than not, I cynically believe that the Texas political landscape will never change. 

I was raised in Texas: a state full of history and culture. I was also raised to always look for the lights of optimism and progress. Yet, I’m hesitant to embrace these very identities because… 

I’m a woman, yet, I don’t feel my state can protect my right to healthcare. Texans’ rights and autonomy are actively being stripped, invaded, and robbed. I feel guilty for being proud to be a Texan because of the damage its government has done and pain it's inflicted upon the lives of many people. 

Often, I lose feeling, my hands numb, my heart heavy: a crippling feeling of fear looms over me as I navigate what I’d do in a hypothetical situation where I’d need reproductive healthcare but could not receive it without facing legal consequences. It is horrifying — the sharp pain of anxiety that comes from not being able to have control over your life or future. 

Indeed, politics is personal, and so is the policy that is attached to it. Politicians in Texas need to see this and truly internalize vulnerable stories that THEIR constituents have courageously told, and understand that their votes and actions truly do impact the individuals who elected them into the very position of power they hold. 

I have, however, begun to further believe in the power of change and collective action through advocacy and mobilization. 

As I grow older, I become a bit more hopeful that the metamorphosis of a Texas that’s truly for the people is in the near future because of increased advocacy. I long, at the very least, to peel back the ancient layers of Texas. 

The incredible advocates I’ve met from my home, the brave stories they’ve shared, and the drive many progressive youth have to create a Texas that’s truly for the people, not the power, is what brightens my light. 

This is the Texas I feel proud to be from.