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Jun 19 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
I am 48yo & only recently started calling my father, Dad. It was a conscious choice as he has finally earned my trust after decades of absence & disappointments. Our relationship is finally genuine, not contrived, it is meaningful & safe. I feel loved & sacred in his presence.
My Dad, Martin is a retired college professor & published author. For decades the world was robbed of his brilliance due to the disease of addiction & I was robbed of his presence due to a legal system which criminalized his disease.
While incarcerated, Martin never stopped writing me. However, due to my own hurt, I stopped reading them but still saved them. However, I always read the books he sent & my love for poetry & the Harlem Renaissance is owed to his parenting from behind the wall.
Upon his re entry we worked slowly to est. a foundation, to heal & to get to know one another. We share a love for books, cake, dogs & politics. We have the same long nose, high cheekbones, bad knees & feet. MF is both our preferred curse word. We are friends who laugh together.
I am proud of my Dad. I love him. And I thank God for our healing & for second chances. 8 yrs ago he walked me down the aisle to the love of my life on our wedding day. If you are estranged fr your father, know that getting to the other side is possible. #HappyFathersDay
And if your father has passed away, may your day be filled with your happiest of remembrances & times together. I pray you feel his spirit near & the ache of your longing subsides over time.

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More from @AyannaPressley

Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Jun 19
Today is #Juneteenth. A holiday my family and I have celebrated for decades—but that has only been observed as an official federal holiday as of 2021.

Some may wonder, why does this day matter? Why is national recognition so significant, and so long overdue? 🧵
It matters because, as we celebrate Juneteenth—the day that marks the emancipation of my enslaved ancestors—it is a truth-telling reminder of our nation’s history and founding.
But it is also a reminder of what's possible.

When enslaved Black people and allies began the work of abolition, many considered the goal of freedom an impossible one.
Read 6 tweets
Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Jun 19
May every child know the safety of a love like this. #HappyFathersDay to the best #GirlDad my husband, Conan. Cora has been nurtured by your love, covered by your prayers & inspired by your example. She is kind, smart, strong, confident, & knows her worth. Image
What a gift it has been to see your love deepen & your bond strengthen with each year. Image
I remember the care & pride you took w/doing her hair, carrying her on your shoulders, being the only one that could quiet her cries as a baby, your patience when teaching her to ride a bike or to solve a math problem. She will contd to grow & change but one constant remains.
Read 5 tweets
Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Mar 31
In the words of my dear friend & scholar @sandylocks,

If we aren’t intersectional, some of us, the most vulnerable, are going to fall through the cracks.

This #WomensHistoryMonth, I’m thinking of those in the midst of our continued struggle for disability justice.
.@VilissaThompson is a scholar, researcher, and social worker.

She is the founder and CEO of Ramp Your Voice and has played a critical role in advancing nationwide conversations about the lived experiences of Black disabled women in America. This graphic reads: Viliss...
.@SeeMiaRoll is an activist, an elite athlete, and the Director of the Disability Justice Initiative at CAP.

She is incredibly skilled at calling the question that changes the conversation and pushing for data that drives action. This graphic reads: Mia ...
Read 5 tweets
Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Jan 20
Willie O’Ree is a hockey legend, trailblazer, ice breaker, hero & activist whose powerful story is unknown to far too many.

We changed that today when the House passed our Willie O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act—the highest honor Congress can give a civilian. 🧵 This is a black and white image of a young Willie O'Ree on t
Willie O’Ree is a descendent of enslaved people who made history with the @NHLBruins 64 years ago when he became the first Black player to play in the @NHL.

He played 45 games in the NHL & spent over 20 years in pro hockey—all while hiding the fact that he was blind in one eye.
Willie was a speedy left winger—but even he couldn't out-skate racism as the sole Black player in the NHL.

He faced fierce discrimination & even violence from fans & players alike.

Despite it all, Willie embodied resilience, grace, dignity & never gave up on his dream.
Read 7 tweets
Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Jan 17
Each #MLKDay, some will cherry-pick quotes from Dr. King & reduce his legacy to that of a peaceful protestor with a dream.

He was indeed a prophetic leader & early architect of the Civil Rights movement—but there's much more to his story.🧵 This is a black and white image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
We often see excerpts from "I Have A Dream" weaponized & perverted to justify legislated white supremacy.

But the truth is Dr. King was a radical dreamer with a bold vision for revolutionary change.

A disruptive movement builder seeking to upend an unjust status quo.
In word & deed, he sought to reverse generations of policy violence & affirm that Black Lives Matter—Work we continue to carry on today.

& the progress we've made thanks to Dr. King & others is under attack daily—a reminder that gains are not guarantees.
Read 6 tweets
Ayanna Pressley Profile picture
Sep 15, 2021
History isn't made on one Election Day, or even one election cycle.

History is made by the candidates, the organizers, the advocates, the volunteers who have worked for years - for generations - to build our communities. To build movements. To build power. 🧵
In 2009, when I won my first race for Boston City Council, I was the first woman of color elected in the Council's 100+ year history, and one of only two women on the Council that term - alongside eleven men. (2/x)
Today, the Council is more diverse than at any point in our City's history - majority women, majority people of color - and we have a historically diverse field of candidates for both City Council and Mayor, including many of my partners in good from City Hall. (3/x)
Read 6 tweets

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