The Story of a Pen

About 10 years ago ,I was teaching my second or third Capoeira class in an urban middle school and 3 new Muslim students came to the class. Some of the other kids were talking about & bullying the girl with racial/religious comments. So I approached the kids and I took them to the office. A little bit after the principal brought the kids back and the kids denied what happened but I and the whole class knew what happended. Afterword, the older brother came to me and gave me this pen, it is a beautiful flower made with duct tape. I saw that he had to look tough but he was an artist and a kind and gentle kid. Incredibly enough, this pen has been with me for like 10 or 11 years and it still works.He was the one protecting his family and his younger siblings. This pen was his thanks to me for protecting his family.

Unironically, we were in a Capoeira class. I have been practicing martial arts for most of my life and it has always been about protecting myself and others. The first time I stood up to injustice and got beaten up for it, I was about six. I was defending my younger cousin at school against an abusive teacher. Her son carried out the punishment and beat me up. I saw people around me looking and not helping. I understood later that sometimes people want to help but they cannot because they are afraid of the consequences. I promised myself not to be like those people that only watch and don’t do anything. I became a martial artist because I wanted to protect myself and my family and those who need protection. This can be tricky though because we can end up living violently, which I did for my teens and into my 20s. Now, I keep strong and healthy through circus and Capoeira  and love to work with those who want the same and live peacefully, quietly in resistance to systems and personalities of oppression.