“Ubuntu” is an African philosophy & Zulu proverb that means “I am because we are”. It has been used throughout the African diaspora to encourage oneness and community with people of African descent. Oneness/community is and have always been a principle in Indigenous and African cultures. Being one with nature, living amongst animals not against them, honoring our ancestors, and protecting the soil in which we reside. Through colonialism, imperialism, racism, and capitalism, many folks have lost, forgotten, and have been forced to release the values and principles of their indigenous cultures. However, there are still those of us who carry the spirits of our ancestors with us everywhere we go. Our history as people of the African diaspora did not start with slavery and it certainly doesn’t end there either. I am grateful to say that being in Puerto Rico for the past week, I felt the spirit of the ancestors. I felt the love. I observed their oneness with nature. I experienced their joy through music and dance. And most importantly, I share their passion for our fight for freedom. My joy on the island came not from tourist attractions, but from the way in which the people of the island honor their African and Taino roots. There’s a misconception that Afro-Latinos don’t honor their African roots but I think that’s a very limited view of the diaspora by people who have yet to travel and experience the many facets of our people globally. I thank the island (and @omiiitutu ) for providing me the clarity I needed to continue my fight for liberation and for affirming that this fight isn’t an isolated fight, but it’s a fight for all. I am because we are. #FreeUsAll . . Nails by: @facedbyty Hair by: @kymch73