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Chana M's avatar

Grateful for this, Esme! I am severely disabled from COVID and writing is all that remains. Appreciate how beautifully you expressed the urgency and need to do Something and we all have a voice.

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

As a fellow disabled person, I salute your writing.

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Forrest Wolfe's avatar

Yes I did not get to attend the Hands Off protests, but got to the very modest Black Holocaust museum in Atlanta. It is crucial to find these token ways to re-assert the truths of American history.

I heartiky agree writing too can be a crucial way to speak the truth through oneself and channel it against the relentless radio board of propaganda .

Thank you.

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Tiffany Chu's avatar

Yes to this. Thank you, Esmé.

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

Thank you for reading, as always, Tiffany ❤️

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Elisa's avatar

I didn't attend the events because my little life called for my full attention on that day, and I figured there were quite a lot of people out already. I grew up growing to protests of all kinds, so I felt like I could probably just catch the next bus (metaphorically). I'm So So happy to hear that you got the kind of fellowship boost that rallies like that provide. And, perhaps not coincidentally, I'm back here at my desk for the first time in weeks. So much writing to do! Cheers to you, Esme, and being out in the streets for the day!

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Shelley Fallows's avatar

❤️🙏❤️

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

Thank you for reading. ❤️

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Eva Yaa Asantewaa's avatar

Thank you so much for all of this! And especially this:

"We write because it is the antidote to isolation. We write because they are trying to silence us. We write because they are banning our books. We write because they tell us our experiences are too much, or not enough, or the wrong kind of story—stories about so-called “gender ideology” or undocumented immigration or anything that they deem to be against their stubborn, uncaring rule.

We write anyway."

Yes! Let's go!

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

✊🏽

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Julie Buchinski's avatar

So grateful for this reflection, this call to voice our stories. Being among the throngs of people shouting No! yesterday offered some solace. To know we’re not alone.

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

Thank you—thank you for being a part of the crowd.

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