I Am The Woman Who Called

[divinemirage]

This is long, but I loved it so much. It was posted in the women's shelter I work at. It's a compilation written in honor of women's advocates.

I Am The Woman Who Called

I am the woman who called last week.
I am the woman who’s been calling for years.
I am the woman who’s on the phone right now.
Yo fui la que llame.
I am the woman who called.

I am the woman who cried herself to sleep last night.
I am the woman who felt really stupid.
I am the mother who said no man would ever do that to my baby and get away with it.
Soy la mujer que le tiene miedo a la migra.
I am the woman who thought I had no worth.

I am the stripper using lots of makeup, heroin, and booze.
I am the woman who said “Maybe I’m the batterer.”
I am the woman who thought there was no way out.
Soy la mujer que teme por sus hijos en su pais natal.
I am the father who buried his daughter and grandchildren.

I am the woman who is just so tired.
I am the woman who never breathed a word to anyone.
I am the woman who prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed.
Soy la mujer que se atrevio a decir, “No mas!”
I am the woman who will never leave.

I am the brother who said I’d rather go to jail
than watch my sister and the kids get hurt one more time.
I am the woman who was too afraid to come out as a lesbian.
I am the woman who lied for him cause me and the kids needed a home and food.
Soy la mujer que llamo escondida debajo de mi escritorio porque me trato de matar.
I am the woman who fought back.

I am the woman who pretended to run him over just so he could see what it felt like
to be that afraid.
I am the friend who hid her in my house.
I am the woman who gave you a hard time at first only to heap blessings on you
by the end of the call.
Soy la mujer que murio y espero entierro por nueve meses.
I am the woman who spoke no English, had no papers and very little hope.

I am the woman who found out my new boyfriend raped my teenage daughter.
I am the woman who said I’d taken pills and just wanted someone
to be with me til the end.
I am the woman who said I had made it and wants to give back just a little of what I got.
Soy la mujer que ahora se rie a carcajadas porque en ese entonces no me podia reir.
I am the husband who almost killed my wife and said I’d watched my dad
kill my mom when I was a boy.

I am the woman who gave as good as she got.
I am the woman who never backed down.
I am the woman who got my GED, my Masters, my Ph.D. and who now runs a Shelter.
Soy la mujer que le ayuda otras.
I am the woman who is free.