Raised by The Hurricane

I have always had a special and unique relationship with my mom. Her name is Katrina, like the hurricane, and she embodies the essence of being a force. I have been reflecting on my mother and our relationship over the years. Through each phase of my life, my powerful influence as a mother is right there, even when I don’t realize it.

I was painfully shy as a kid, and I remember looking at my mother in awe at how she carried herself! Being a Black Muslim Woman in America is not for the weak; my mom seemed to navigate through effortlessly. I have witnessed my mom being verbally attacked in public, removed from a flight, harassed at work, and more based on being Black, Muslim, woman, or in most cases, all of the above. As I said, she is a hurricane; you can’t take down a force! She always carries herself with so much power and grace that everyone who has tried that little woman feels the wrath of a hurricane. She is a superhero in my eyes.

As a teenager, I was starting to find my voice and strength. While I was searching for mine, in a way, I wanted to turn the volume down on my mom’s voice, and she let me. Of course, during those years, we bumped heads a bit, but through it all, she gave me the space, confidence, and encouragement that I possess the same power. I watched my mom advocate and defend herself, and I felt it was my turn.

Now, as an adult, my mom is my best friend. I reflect on all the times I only saw my mom’s strength instead of her vulnerability. Then something clicked in my brain, and I saw the whole picture. I finally see my mom as a human and appreciate her example for me. Not only how she overcame the hurdles but the journey of how she healed from all the bullshit while being a wife and mother with a full-time job.

I’ve been asked before what is my proudest moment, and most of the time, I draw a blank. But as I write this post, I finally know what takes the number one spot; the day I could advocate and defend my mom, as she has always done for me.

I am proud to be raised by The Hurricane Katrina because she raised me to be a Wildfire, and you know what they say. Never play with fire!