The Telasco Legacy

My mother.  A strong woman.  She personifies the true meaning of "a single mother." A designer by trade.   She believed in the American dream.  She felt like even though my brothers and I were very intelligent, the system in Haiti did not guarantee that our skills and knowledge would be nurtured or allow us to soar as contributing human beings in this world.   

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She worked as a domestic, an elderly home aid nurse and security guard at the same time. 

 

She would always speak to me about my day.  Her days were usually one of sadness and disrespect.  I remember an instance when my mother told me that while at her domestic job,  the husband of the lady whom she worked for would have my mother remove his shoes and socks when he came home from work.  Her employers would make comments like "Where are your kids?  Running the streets?"

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I listened with a heavy and bleeding heart.  I felt powerless and insignificant because I could not do anything to help my mother who I  loved so much.  When my mother saw the sadness in my eyes, she would tell me: 

 

"Don't worry.  I don't mind because I know you will not go through what I am going through.  I am telling you this so that you understand that education is your ticket out of this.  These people may have more money than you but they are not better than you.  Remember, you come from great people.   Our circumstances do not define who we are, who you are. 

You must always remember who you are. "