Marta
Maria Miranda
Marta Maria Miranda was born in Pinar
Del Rio, Cuba in 1954. She learned
story telling and water gazing from
her dad, who practiced both the Yoruba
religion and the art of sitting in
circles telling stories over dominoes
and cigars. Marta is an associate
professor at Eastern Kentucky
University in the Dept. of
Anthropology, Sociology and Social
Work where she teaches social work
practice and is the director of the
Women's Studies Program. Marta has
been a social justice activist for 25
years, addressing civil and
immigration rights for marginalized
populations, hate crimes and violence
against women. She is a member of
Appalachian Women Rising the
performance group for the Appalachian
Women's Alliance.
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I am from by
Marta Maria Miranda
I am from a place where chickens
wake you up and feed you breakfast
I am from where pigs are slaughtered with skill
and grace and every inch
is used for something
I am from water gazing, despojos and spirit
calling
I am from Bembes where our african ancestors wet
their tongues with rum, speak the old words, and
dance to the beat of the conga drums
I am from punto guajiro, guantanamera and story
telling circles
I am from the vile of my mother’s hatred of her
wifely duties
I am from a toxic womb where my twin sister died
and I survived
I am from kneeling on pebbles, staring at the
bathroom wall and dreaming that I could fly
I am from the love of dulce leche, flan and rice
pudding for breakfast
I am from a daily feast of black beans, white
rice, aguacates and mojito
I am from coffee beans growing outside my
kitchen window
I am from a red tile kitchen where abuelita
rolled her choquitos and starched
the bed sheets
I am from the ever present Pepito jokes,
I am from a place where papaya, guayabas and
mango trees gently carry
orchids on their trunks
I am from the mountains and in them I will be
buried
I am Cubalachian, Cuban by Birth and
Appalachian by the Grace of God
I am from the ocean and to her I will return
I am the daughter of Yemaya and for her I will
write
