My first real post on substack! I’ve been putting this off for months, but I’m here now!
Welcome to the ‘In the Along,” a place where I hope to share my views, art, and thoughts on my favorite topics, memes, and themes.
In case you don’t know me, I’m Rafa! I’m a civil rights attorney from the Bronx, but currently living in Brooklyn. I love to write and talk shit. In fact, I did some of my best yapping on my podcast Bag Ladiez, that I created and co-hosted with my best homie CinPim. On Bag Ladiez I went by Lina so hiiiiiiii (*Alaska voice*)
Early in 2024 Cin and I decided to let go of Bag Ladiez and stop producing episodes. Our show was a weekly show where we discussed baggage of all types. We delved into politics, oppression, and pop culture in a way we only could. I’m so proud of the space Cin and I created for us and for those who listened. We ran for about 7 years until the demands of our bill-paying jobs and our podcast just couldn't be sustained.
Creating Bag Ladiez has been so special to me. I’ve learned so much about myself, my friendship with Cin, and the world. The end of Bag Ladiez is something that I have been sitting with for a while and something that I have struggled with. It hurts to say goodbye to the podcast but I’m grateful I gave myself the space to make it.
I miss making art and sharing it with folks so probably 2 years ago I created my substack account. I’ve thought endlessly about this first post and today I finally wrote it.
The title ‘In the Along’ comes from two very important places.
I first saw those words tattooed across the chest of writer Kay Ulanday Barrett. Please check out their amazing work here.
I googled the words and found:
Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward (Among them Nora and Henry III) by Gwendolyn Brooks
Say to them,
say to the down-keepers,
the sun-slappers,
the self-soilers,
the harmony-hushers,
"Even if you are not ready for day
it cannot always be night."
You will be right.
For that is the hard home-run.
Live not for battles won.
Live not for the-end-of-the-song.
Live in the along.
"Speech to the Young" by Gwendolyn Brooks, from BLACKS (Chicago, IL: Third World Press, 1991). Copyright © 1991 by Gwendolyn Brooks Blakely.
When thinking of a title for my subtack the words came back to me instinctually and presciently. I hope to share parts of myself here as I navigate in this along and you all navigate your own along. I hope to think about hard things, make some jokes, craft, create and express myself.
How often am I aiming for? Twice a month so wish me luck!
Welcome and I hope you stick around.
Rafa