The Land of Enchantment

Have you heard of the land that the Rio Grande winds through?

The Land where the Desert meets the Sky.

Where the Turtle in the Sandia Mountains protects the people.

A place where the sand sage grows and the Ravens circle, keeping watch and calling out to warn us when something’s not as it should be.

A place where there are chiles, corn tortillas, and the medicines we need to heal our hearts, minds, and souls.

A place where the Pueblos remain in spite of all that was done to eradicate the Tiws people.

A place of solidarity, SOMOS UNIDOS

A place where we exist – beyond the confines of colonial borders.

A place where we are LIBRE to continue, to LIVE, to THRIVE, to RECLAIM what’s been stolen.

A place where we are visible Beyond the limited beliefs of what’s possible, where we write our own stories, sing our songs, and dance together.

A place where we are the norm; the standard and not an exception.

A place where we make the decisions, where we dream of the future, where we write the history.

A place where we are expected to be.

A place where we continue to thrive and celebrate joy in our community.

A place where our ancestors dance to the beat of our drums.

A place where we remember what was and understand how to get there – together.

A place where the sun sets and our dreams keep us going.

There is a place just on the other side of the Rio Grande. Let’s go there together.

Skye Howell (she/her) is Pokagon Potawatomi and Grand River Band Ottawa and was born and raised in Houston TX. Skye is an Organizational Consultant, an Equity Advocate, a Curriculum Designer, a Keynote Speaker, and a Storyteller. If you enjoyed this article and want to read more, please consider becoming a Medium member. Your membership fee directly supports Skye Howell (she/her) and other writers you read. You’ll also get full access to every story on Medium.