dear students:
you who have been working hard, caring fiercely, showing up for each other and for our tender, aching collective;
you who are forgoing parties, and bars, and the gatherings that you’ve anticipated with joy;
you who know there’s life beyond football games and tailgating and beer pong; you who are holding the losses that none of us really know how to bear;
you who are scared, who don’t know where to take your fear, or your wisdom;
you who know shit ain’t right, and are laboring for a world where tender togetherness and creativity are valued above Mine and More;
you who have been masked in the streets, teargassed by those you were told to turn to, furloughed;
you who don’t know how the hell you’re gonna make ends meet, or keep that old laptop going one more semester;
you who are grieving the death of family members, of community elders, of possibilities and plans; you who are lonely;
you who really want, really need a hug; you who are doing your best to stay present to it all;
you who have been confronted by too much death, by police and politicians and powers that be about nothing but their own power;
you beautiful, holy, wise, generous, brave, visionary students:
i see you. i love you.”