This week Cassandra Montenegro shares a poem that sustains her by Richard Blanco.

From the video:

Hello, my name is Cassandra Montenegro. I use she and aa pronouns. I am a light-skinned Latina with my hair pulled back and a I guess cream or ivory colored top and uh a beautiful UUA background of a water lily. Today I hail from Rochester in your Central East Region as I am a member of the Central East Region Congregational Life Staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

One of the most important gifts that Unitarian Universalism continually offers me is renewed ability and confidence to be more deeply engaged in communities seeking to do justice in the world. For many of us today, we find our hearts hurting and heavy along with our friends and loved ones, we may be feeling disconnected from what it has meant and could mean to live into our American values. Some are feeling isolated, marginalized, and betrayed.

Recently, I was asked by the National LGBTQ Law Association to take part in a panel on the weaponization of religion, how faith-based case law and advocacy can support LGBTQ plus equality work. In this room, I witnessed the work of queer and trans attorneys and advocates for justice along with our cis, straight allies. There I listen to the stories of people of varying faith and non-faith-seeking traditions, including our own, centering and calling forth how we might further this liberatory work together.

Now I offer you what I offered them. A poem by Cuban poet, CubanAmerican inaugural poet laurate and our Unitarian Universalist Association’s 2019 Ware Lecturer Richard Blanco.

You can read the poem, American the Beautiful Again, or listen to Richard Blanco read it on the Richard Blanco’s website.

Blanco’s poetry keeps surfacing at key moments in my life in this faith, providing guidance and grounding reminding me that I am not alone in this moment. And I thank you for that. Many blessings to you on this day, in this moment. May you and our people and our people’s people be well.