The Intersections of Who I Am

I am a human being born and living on the planet earth. That is the most general description of who I am and in this moment it applies to more than six billion others. However, there are so many descriptors, terms and experiences that shape how I perceive the world around me, and how others perceive me.

My family has lived on land referred to as Turtle Island by the First Nations for 400 years. Where I live was once the land of the Muscogee Creek. My first African ancestors arrived against their will as cargo on what is now known as the United States of America. I am also the descendent of people from the European continent, specifically England and Germany. Because of the sacrifice and struggles of others, I live as a citizen of the United States.

I am the descendent of people primarily from the African continent with no ancestral memory of the tribes or nations. Somehow, they managed to survive the Middle Passage, chattel slavery, and Jim Crow. My grandparents were Lessie and Quincy, and Flora and Thomas. Each lived their own path that impacts me.

To whom, where, and when I was born provide a context to my life. In 1958, I was born the daughter of Alma and Thomas with a female body and named Leslye Alise long before knowing that I was heterosexual and cisgendered. My state-sanctioned birth certificate identifies me and each of my parents as "Colored". In time, I was joined by a brother, Thomas, and a sister, Angela Denise.

Born into a Protestant Christian family who converted to Catholicism, I recognize the unspoken privilege of living in a nation where the largest percent of the populace self-identifies as Christian. I also acknowledge the violence throughout history perpetuated by those who share my faith tradition. This violence contradicts the Gospel of Christ that teaches love of God and neighbor.

Exploring each of these threads is the result of a natural curiosity encouraged by my parents. Spending time with questions as they arise leads me to a deeper understanding of myself as a person. Pondering the role of history, family, and faith in my life provides a broader understanding of the context in which my life unfolds. It helps me see what is true and the movement of the Divine across time and space.