Love Me.

Life

It’s my heart.

The air I breathe.

It’s my personality with good vibes and energy.

It’s my posture, strut, and walk my movement.

It’s my voice, my sound, my tone.

My Blackness, my culture, my style

My smile, my frown. My crown

My tears my fears my struggles my fights

My life journey is the combination of all.

That makes me.

I am complete.

Fatal

About the Writer

Since the early age of ten. I've participated in NAACP as a youth representative and also assisted with her grade school at PS 189 in Brooklyn. In the early '90s, I moved to Canarsie to Breukelen houses and became the recording secretary of their resident association, Chairperson of the DEP (Department of Environmental Program) from 1992-1993 (better known as the drug elimination program) and was a part of the Breukelen head start advisory council.

When there was a lack of access to youth programming, the Community Center desired a football team and extracurricular activities, so I organized with other parents to form a team called the Pop Warner football and cheerleading team Canarsie Conquerors. during that time, I became a certified Pee wee coach, and a Parent coordinator and implemented a program for etiquette classes for girls, scared straight for boys, and homework assistance. In 2008 I moved to Farragut Houses and I have participated as a member of the VIDA democratic club, and currently, a part of the ICAC intergenerational community arts council in Fort Greene sponsored and in partnership with BRIC Media Arts and University Settlement, and a member of lotus chapter #7 under the order of eastern stars / masonic brotherhood and during the height of the pandemic I volunteered with other residents to form Mutual aid groups in NYCHA and partner with the local MARP BID in distributing food to residents in NYCHA and the surrounding downtown Brooklyn area.

Follow Tanja Richardson on IG Tanja Ladyk Richardson (@fatal_star21)