Holly

Meet Holly, mother to 7 month old baby girl.

I’ve read the stories, I’ve heard the rhetoric. But I thought, not here in CT. Definitely not in a store in my own town would someone so carelessly curse under her breath paired with a mean stare all aimed at this lovely human. There’s no way this woman would blame Holly for this pandemic all due to her race. When Holly told me this story, I was in disbelief. We’re smarter than that. Even kinder. Right?

Please listen for any subconscious biases you may feel because somewhere out there, there’s a mother with her baby fearful of the wrath of racism or someone who will take it too far. Because perhaps one day, it could be you.

Holly, thank you for your beautiful words. I admire your positive outlook even with a new layer of worry that many of us are privileged not to feel. I wish I could take those worries away from you. Please know I support and stand by you. I too hope the gains will outweigh the losses. Now wouldn’t that be a beautiful thing?

Written by Holly:
“When I think about what we’ve lost during the pandemic, I can’t help but feel grateful for what we have not lost: our health, our home, our livelihood, each other — we are extremely lucky to have all these intact.

With that being said, I grieve most for the loss of our sense of safety and security, not only from the virus itself, but also from its sociological impact. With tensions at an all time high during this “Chinese Virus,” I’m incredibly sad and scared for my half Asian daughter who will inevitably face the inexplicable hatred of racism. I fear what comes next as restrictions start to lift and we are left to face the real world, where I cannot shield her from its ugliness.

This time together has been an amazing privilege. It’s given us memories that only the three of us share. It’s reminded me to appreciate the small, even mundane moments in life. It’s taught me to hold onto the ones I love, even when we’re apart. It’s shown me that I’m so much stronger than I ever thought I could be. At the end of all this, I hope the gains outweigh the losses. I hope these are the things we remember. I hope these are the things I will pass on to my daughter.”