well good evening everyone my name is Burrell and I must begin tonight with a
Burrell and I must begin tonight with a
Burrell and I must begin tonight with a confession I confess that I’m just a
confession I confess that I’m just a
confession I confess that I’m just a hometown home state kind of girl I was
hometown home state kind of girl I was
hometown home state kind of girl I was born in Junction City my family then
born in Junction City my family then
born in Junction City my family then moved to Lake Elsinore California where
moved to Lake Elsinore California where
moved to Lake Elsinore California where we lived for about nine years and then
we lived for about nine years and then
we lived for about nine years and then we came back to Topeka where I had the
we came back to Topeka where I had the
we came back to Topeka where I had the blessing and the privilege to be raised
blessing and the privilege to be raised
blessing and the privilege to be raised by three wise powerful women and they
by three wise powerful women and they
by three wise powerful women and they taught me that if I was to follow in
taught me that if I was to follow in
taught me that if I was to follow in their footsteps I would need to be able
their footsteps I would need to be able
their footsteps I would need to be able to cover not only the ground that I
to cover not only the ground that I
to cover not only the ground that I stand on but also the ground that I
stand on but also the ground that I
stand on but also the ground that I stand in as a child of the dirt you see
stand in as a child of the dirt you see
stand in as a child of the dirt you see I must also confess that I believe that
I must also confess that I believe that
I must also confess that I believe that all humans were created from the dust of
all humans were created from the dust of
all humans were created from the dust of the earth dirt and as such we are all
the earth dirt and as such we are all
the earth dirt and as such we are all common brothers and sisters all of our
common brothers and sisters all of our
common brothers and sisters all of our colors can be found on what I like to
colors can be found on what I like to
colors can be found on what I like to call the sepia palette we are all
call the sepia palette we are all
call the sepia palette we are all children of the dirt now these three
children of the dirt now these three
children of the dirt now these three women were my grandmother
women were my grandmother
women were my grandmother Lottie Turner Smith my mother Geraldine
Lottie Turner Smith my mother Geraldine
Lottie Turner Smith my mother Geraldine Thomas Smith Massey and my great-aunt
Thomas Smith Massey and my great-aunt
Thomas Smith Massey and my great-aunt own Eva Smith Estes they showed me
own Eva Smith Estes they showed me
own Eva Smith Estes they showed me through their daily walk their love for
through their daily walk their love for
through their daily walk their love for others their willingness to sacrifice
others their willingness to sacrifice
others their willingness to sacrifice and give of themselves that they were
and give of themselves that they were
and give of themselves that they were powerful women women to be reckoned with
powerful women women to be reckoned with
powerful women women to be reckoned with their activism may have been gentle but
their activism may have been gentle but
their activism may have been gentle but their love was unlimited and two of them
their love was unlimited and two of them
their love was unlimited and two of them at least cooked in a way that was
at least cooked in a way that was
at least cooked in a way that was generous for everyone my grandmother was
generous for everyone my grandmother was
generous for everyone my grandmother was a great cook my aunt neva was a great
a great cook my aunt neva was a great
a great cook my aunt neva was a great cook my mama wasn’t so great but we
cook my mama wasn’t so great but we
cook my mama wasn’t so great but we didn’t die my grandmother loved to show
didn’t die my grandmother loved to show
didn’t die my grandmother loved to show her love for others through her cooking
her love for others through her cooking
her love for others through her cooking and she didn’t just show that to her
and she didn’t just show that to her
and she didn’t just show that to her family but also to the sick and the
family but also to the sick and the
family but also to the sick and the shut-in who were not able to cook for
shut-in who were not able to cook for
shut-in who were not able to cook for themselves to the hobos who would make
themselves to the hobos who would make
themselves to the hobos who would make their way to her and my grandfather’s
their way to her and my grandfather’s
their way to her and my grandfather’s home on East 17th Street just east of
home on East 17th Street just east of
home on East 17th Street just east of the railroad tracks to students at
the railroad tracks to students at
the railroad tracks to students at Washburn University who lived in the
Washburn University who lived in the
Washburn University who lived in the sororities and the fraternities she was
sororities and the fraternities she was
sororities and the fraternities she was a woman who to me cooked like no other
a woman who to me cooked like no other
a woman who to me cooked like no other her meals consisted of things like
her meals consisted of things like
her meals consisted of things like golden fried chicken and wild greens and
golden fried chicken and wild greens and
golden fried chicken and wild greens and pan corn bread and deserts of sweet
pan corn bread and deserts of sweet
pan corn bread and deserts of sweet potato pie and that was my personal
potato pie and that was my personal
potato pie and that was my personal favorite homemade vanilla ice cream or
favorite homemade vanilla ice cream or
favorite homemade vanilla ice cream or breakfast of thick sliced bacon over
breakfast of thick sliced bacon over
breakfast of thick sliced bacon over easy eggs heavily butter toast in the
easy eggs heavily butter toast in the
easy eggs heavily butter toast in the best-smelling Folgers coffee you could
best-smelling Folgers coffee you could
best-smelling Folgers coffee you could imagine my grandmother loved to cook she
imagine my grandmother loved to cook she
imagine my grandmother loved to cook she also loved to watch nature and on June
also loved to watch nature and on June
also loved to watch nature and on June 8th 1966 she was sitting on her front
8th 1966 she was sitting on her front
8th 1966 she was sitting on her front porch watching the tornado as it moved
porch watching the tornado as it moved
porch watching the tornado as it moved across the park across from her home on
across the park across from her home on
across the park across from her home on East 17th Street and made its way to
East 17th Street and made its way to
East 17th Street and made its way to east Topeka now we were all at our home
east Topeka now we were all at our home
east Topeka now we were all at our home at 2000 Maryland Street cowering under
at 2000 Maryland Street cowering under
at 2000 Maryland Street cowering under furniture crying and praying because
furniture crying and praying because
furniture crying and praying because we’d been trying to call her and hadn’t
we’d been trying to call her and hadn’t
we’d been trying to call her and hadn’t been able to reach her and later I found
been able to reach her and later I found
been able to reach her and later I found out that she had journaled everything
out that she had journaled everything
out that she had journaled everything she saw in her diary I found this after
she saw in her diary I found this after
she saw in her diary I found this after her death on the day that she died she’d
her death on the day that she died she’d
her death on the day that she died she’d been out and about in our yard puttering
been out and about in our yard puttering
been out and about in our yard puttering around with our family dog picking some
around with our family dog picking some
around with our family dog picking some wild greens on the alleyway and she’d
wild greens on the alleyway and she’d
wild greens on the alleyway and she’d come into the house I was home sick that
come into the house I was home sick that
come into the house I was home sick that day I was 15 years old and she’d gone to
day I was 15 years old and she’d gone to
day I was 15 years old and she’d gone to a long drawer and a piece of furniture
a long drawer and a piece of furniture
a long drawer and a piece of furniture that she called the bureau and she had
that she called the bureau and she had
that she called the bureau and she had taken out an envelope and said to me no
taken out an envelope and said to me no
taken out an envelope and said to me no Burrell when I die this is where all my
Burrell when I die this is where all my
Burrell when I die this is where all my important papers are and I said in my 15
important papers are and I said in my 15
important papers are and I said in my 15 year old
year old
year old innocence the old grandma you’re not
innocence the old grandma you’re not
innocence the old grandma you’re not gonna die for a long time she said
gonna die for a long time she said
gonna die for a long time she said listen to what I’m telling you when I
listen to what I’m telling you when I
listen to what I’m telling you when I die this is where my important papers
die this is where my important papers
die this is where my important papers are it was a Wednesday that evening she
are it was a Wednesday that evening she
are it was a Wednesday that evening she went to church with my mother and at the
went to church with my mother and at the
went to church with my mother and at the end of the service she
end of the service she
end of the service she up for prayer sat in the chair waited
up for prayer sat in the chair waited
up for prayer sat in the chair waited for the pastor to finish the altar call
for the pastor to finish the altar call
for the pastor to finish the altar call come down and pray for her but before he
come down and pray for her but before he
come down and pray for her but before he reached her she was already dead as I
reached her she was already dead as I
reached her she was already dead as I reflected on that I thought about the
reflected on that I thought about the
reflected on that I thought about the power that she had to make a conscious
power that she had to make a conscious
power that she had to make a conscious choice not only in the way that she
choice not only in the way that she
choice not only in the way that she lived and the way that she treated all
lived and the way that she treated all
lived and the way that she treated all people regardless of their color or
people regardless of their color or
people regardless of their color or their station in life she had the power
their station in life she had the power
their station in life she had the power to make a conscious choice about when
to make a conscious choice about when
to make a conscious choice about when and how she died now my mother was a
and how she died now my mother was a
and how she died now my mother was a fascinating woman she was the only child
fascinating woman she was the only child
fascinating woman she was the only child that my grandmother and grandfather had
that my grandmother and grandfather had
that my grandmother and grandfather had and while they were a deep Coffee Bean
and while they were a deep Coffee Bean
and while they were a deep Coffee Bean brown shade on the sepia palette she was
brown shade on the sepia palette she was
brown shade on the sepia palette she was a warm cappuccino she graduated from
a warm cappuccino she graduated from
a warm cappuccino she graduated from Topeka high school then attended
Topeka high school then attended
Topeka high school then attended Washburn University but when the war
Washburn University but when the war
Washburn University but when the war began she decided to do her part for the
began she decided to do her part for the
began she decided to do her part for the war effort so she moved to Washington DC
war effort so she moved to Washington DC
war effort so she moved to Washington DC to work as a secretary when the war
to work as a secretary when the war
to work as a secretary when the war ended she came back to Topeka got a job
ended she came back to Topeka got a job
ended she came back to Topeka got a job working for the city as a secretary and
working for the city as a secretary and
working for the city as a secretary and did that until she met and married my
did that until she met and married my
did that until she met and married my father he was a pastor and his first
father he was a pastor and his first
father he was a pastor and his first assignment was in Chattanooga Tennessee
assignment was in Chattanooga Tennessee
assignment was in Chattanooga Tennessee then in Kansas City then in Junction
then in Kansas City then in Junction
then in Kansas City then in Junction City where I was born and then he moved
City where I was born and then he moved
City where I was born and then he moved the family to Lake Elsinore California
the family to Lake Elsinore California
the family to Lake Elsinore California his church in Lake Elsinore was made up
his church in Lake Elsinore was made up
his church in Lake Elsinore was made up of a variety of people of all racial
of a variety of people of all racial
of a variety of people of all racial backgrounds and all walks of life and
backgrounds and all walks of life and
backgrounds and all walks of life and that was where I learned I was chocolate
that was where I learned I was chocolate
that was where I learned I was chocolate a little boy came up to me I was about
a little boy came up to me I was about
a little boy came up to me I was about five years old and he began to lick my
five years old and he began to lick my
five years old and he began to lick my arm and his father grabbed him and he
arm and his father grabbed him and he
arm and his father grabbed him and he shook him and he said stop that and the
shook him and he said stop that and the
shook him and he said stop that and the little boy began to cry and he said I
little boy began to cry and he said I
little boy began to cry and he said I thought she was chocolate well I don’t
thought she was chocolate well I don’t
thought she was chocolate well I don’t think I really had a strongly developed
think I really had a strongly developed
think I really had a strongly developed color consciousness at that time because
color consciousness at that time because
color consciousness at that time because I was more amused than I was afraid but
I was more amused than I was afraid but
I was more amused than I was afraid but I believe it’s because of how our
I believe it’s because of how our
I believe it’s because of how our parents raised us you see my mother’s
parents raised us you see my mother’s
parents raised us you see my mother’s best friend in Lake Elsinore California
best friend in Lake Elsinore California
best friend in Lake Elsinore California was Oh
was Oh
was Oh woman that we called aunt Irma and for
woman that we called aunt Irma and for
woman that we called aunt Irma and for all we knew and all we believed she was
all we knew and all we believed she was
all we knew and all we believed she was truly our blood aunt however she was as
truly our blood aunt however she was as
truly our blood aunt however she was as vanilla on the sepia palate as I was
vanilla on the sepia palate as I was
vanilla on the sepia palate as I was chocalate but it made no difference
chocalate but it made no difference
chocalate but it made no difference whatsoever in fact she only lived down
whatsoever in fact she only lived down
whatsoever in fact she only lived down the road from us but we would spend many
the road from us but we would spend many
the road from us but we would spend many weekends at her home we all had our own
weekends at her home we all had our own
weekends at her home we all had our own pajamas there we had our own
pajamas there we had our own
pajamas there we had our own toothbrushes and color-coded utensils
toothbrushes and color-coded utensils
toothbrushes and color-coded utensils because she was our aunt and even when
because she was our aunt and even when
because she was our aunt and even when we moved to Topeka I’ve maintained
we moved to Topeka I’ve maintained
we moved to Topeka I’ve maintained correspondence with her close to the
correspondence with her close to the
correspondence with her close to the time that she died and when I became an
time that she died and when I became an
time that she died and when I became an adult she sent me a box of all my little
adult she sent me a box of all my little
adult she sent me a box of all my little kid things that she had saved over the
kid things that she had saved over the
kid things that she had saved over the decades so you see for us based on how
decades so you see for us based on how
decades so you see for us based on how our mother had modeled her life in front
our mother had modeled her life in front
our mother had modeled her life in front of us we learned very early that
of us we learned very early that
of us we learned very early that sisterhood is not based on color it’s
sisterhood is not based on color it’s
sisterhood is not based on color it’s based on love before my mother
based on love before my mother
based on love before my mother surrendered to cancer in 1971 she had
surrendered to cancer in 1971 she had
surrendered to cancer in 1971 she had been a secretary to many of the water
been a secretary to many of the water
been a secretary to many of the water commissioners in topeka one of them
commissioners in topeka one of them
commissioners in topeka one of them being Charles Wright who later became a
being Charles Wright who later became a
being Charles Wright who later became a beloved mayor and was always a very
beloved mayor and was always a very
beloved mayor and was always a very faithful family friend she had helped
faithful family friend she had helped
faithful family friend she had helped mckinley l burnett preserve his memoirs
mckinley l burnett preserve his memoirs
mckinley l burnett preserve his memoirs as the champion of the n-double a-c-p as
as the champion of the n-double a-c-p as
as the champion of the n-double a-c-p as its president during the brown versus
its president during the brown versus
its president during the brown versus Topeka Board of Education case by typing
Topeka Board of Education case by typing
Topeka Board of Education case by typing them on one of those old black metal
them on one of those old black metal
them on one of those old black metal typewriters that we now see in museums
typewriters that we now see in museums
typewriters that we now see in museums she had suffered a debilitating illness
she had suffered a debilitating illness
she had suffered a debilitating illness coupled with a devastating divorce but
coupled with a devastating divorce but
coupled with a devastating divorce but she never lost her impeccable character
she never lost her impeccable character
she never lost her impeccable character or her strength and her willingness to
or her strength and her willingness to
or her strength and her willingness to show love no matter what she went
show love no matter what she went
show love no matter what she went through on the day that she died I had
through on the day that she died I had
through on the day that she died I had been at the hospital with her most of
been at the hospital with her most of
been at the hospital with her most of the day and had come home exhausted from
the day and had come home exhausted from
the day and had come home exhausted from just watching her barely breathing and
just watching her barely breathing and
just watching her barely breathing and drifting in and out of consciousness
drifting in and out of consciousness
drifting in and out of consciousness I’d lay down to go to sleep and all of a
I’d lay down to go to sleep and all of a
I’d lay down to go to sleep and all of a sudden I heard her voice
sudden I heard her voice
sudden I heard her voice and she said I’m going now I want you to
and she said I’m going now I want you to
and she said I’m going now I want you to be a good girl and get saved and I’ll
be a good girl and get saved and I’ll
be a good girl and get saved and I’ll see you later
see you later
see you later and I thought to myself I’m dreaming
and I thought to myself I’m dreaming
and I thought to myself I’m dreaming that couldn’t have been her but the
that couldn’t have been her but the
that couldn’t have been her but the voice sounded so real and so I said to
voice sounded so real and so I said to
voice sounded so real and so I said to myself if it really was my mother
myself if it really was my mother
myself if it really was my mother passing from this world to the next then
passing from this world to the next then
passing from this world to the next then someone will call me within 10 minutes
someone will call me within 10 minutes
someone will call me within 10 minutes of course within a few minutes the phone
of course within a few minutes the phone
of course within a few minutes the phone rang but I already knew after my mother
rang but I already knew after my mother
rang but I already knew after my mother died my aunt Oh neva Estes became that
died my aunt Oh neva Estes became that
died my aunt Oh neva Estes became that mother figure for me and I had received
mother figure for me and I had received
mother figure for me and I had received a full scholarship to go to the
a full scholarship to go to the
a full scholarship to go to the University of Minnesota but my mother
University of Minnesota but my mother
University of Minnesota but my mother died in May I left to go to Minnesota in
died in May I left to go to Minnesota in
died in May I left to go to Minnesota in September it was too soon I was still
September it was too soon I was still
September it was too soon I was still too emotionally damaged from the
too emotionally damaged from the
too emotionally damaged from the prolonged illness that she had suffered
prolonged illness that she had suffered
prolonged illness that she had suffered and I had suffered along with her
and I had suffered along with her
and I had suffered along with her watching her die slowly of cancer so
watching her die slowly of cancer so
watching her die slowly of cancer so when I got there
when I got there
when I got there Minnesota number 1 was freezing cold
Minnesota number 1 was freezing cold
Minnesota number 1 was freezing cold number 2 I was so far removed from all
number 2 I was so far removed from all
number 2 I was so far removed from all family and close friends and so one day
family and close friends and so one day
family and close friends and so one day my aunt called me and she said I miss
my aunt called me and she said I miss
my aunt called me and she said I miss you I need you to come home and so would
you I need you to come home and so would
you I need you to come home and so would you please come home this spring now of
you please come home this spring now of
you please come home this spring now of course I knew she really didn’t need me
course I knew she really didn’t need me
course I knew she really didn’t need me but she provided for me the escape hatch
but she provided for me the escape hatch
but she provided for me the escape hatch that I needed to avoid a deep depression
that I needed to avoid a deep depression
that I needed to avoid a deep depression she treated all of her nieces and
she treated all of her nieces and
she treated all of her nieces and nephews and every young person that she
nephews and every young person that she
nephews and every young person that she came into contact with in her work as a
came into contact with in her work as a
came into contact with in her work as a house mother in the cook for sororities
house mother in the cook for sororities
house mother in the cook for sororities and fraternities at Washburn in her day
and fraternities at Washburn in her day
and fraternities at Washburn in her day work for certain families in Topeka that
work for certain families in Topeka that
work for certain families in Topeka that hired her to come in and do their
hired her to come in and do their
hired her to come in and do their housecleaning in their cooking for all
housecleaning in their cooking for all
housecleaning in their cooking for all her nieces and nephews she treated every
her nieces and nephews she treated every
her nieces and nephews she treated every young person it didn’t matter their
young person it didn’t matter their
young person it didn’t matter their station in life or the color of their
station in life or the color of their
station in life or the color of their skin or whether they were blood
skin or whether they were blood
skin or whether they were blood relatives or not she treated every one
relatives or not she treated every one
relatives or not she treated every one of us as if we were her own children she
of us as if we were her own children she
of us as if we were her own children she always said she wanted to live to be 90
always said she wanted to live to be 90
always said she wanted to live to be 90 so on her 90th birthday I’d gone to
so on her 90th birthday I’d gone to
so on her 90th birthday I’d gone to visit her she was at Manor care due to
visit her she was at Manor care due to
visit her she was at Manor care due to an enlarged heart I went and sang happy
an enlarged heart I went and sang happy
an enlarged heart I went and sang happy birthday to her
birthday to her
birthday to her for a birthday card which she opened and
for a birthday card which she opened and
for a birthday card which she opened and smiled and her favorite perfume and she
smiled and her favorite perfume and she
smiled and her favorite perfume and she took off the nozzle and sniffed it then
took off the nozzle and sniffed it then
took off the nozzle and sniffed it then she kissed me and we sat and we talked
she kissed me and we sat and we talked
she kissed me and we sat and we talked and just enjoyed one another’s company
and just enjoyed one another’s company
and just enjoyed one another’s company until one of my other cousins came so I
until one of my other cousins came so I
until one of my other cousins came so I told her I’d leave for a while let her
told her I’d leave for a while let her
told her I’d leave for a while let her enjoy their company and then come back
enjoy their company and then come back
enjoy their company and then come back later to continue the celebration but
later to continue the celebration but
later to continue the celebration but while I was gone I got a call from my
while I was gone I got a call from my
while I was gone I got a call from my cousin to say that she had passed what
cousin to say that she had passed what
cousin to say that she had passed what an amazing woman what an amazing life
an amazing woman what an amazing life
an amazing woman what an amazing life what an amazing ability to have such
what an amazing ability to have such
what an amazing ability to have such conscious control over your life that
conscious control over your life that
conscious control over your life that you can even say today is the day I’m
you can even say today is the day I’m
you can even say today is the day I’m going to die and so I will live my life
going to die and so I will live my life
going to die and so I will live my life – my 90th birthday and when I’ve reached
– my 90th birthday and when I’ve reached
– my 90th birthday and when I’ve reached that goal
that goal
that goal I can feel free to pass on to be
I can feel free to pass on to be
I can feel free to pass on to be reunited with my husband and with my
reunited with my husband and with my
reunited with my husband and with my grandparents and with my mother and all
grandparents and with my mother and all
grandparents and with my mother and all of her loved ones that had gone on
of her loved ones that had gone on
of her loved ones that had gone on before her so when I think about these
before her so when I think about these
before her so when I think about these three powerful women and even my own
three powerful women and even my own
three powerful women and even my own coming of age in sepia-toned Kansas I
coming of age in sepia-toned Kansas I
coming of age in sepia-toned Kansas I also think about my favorite movie The
also think about my favorite movie The
also think about my favorite movie The Wizard of Oz and there are themes within
Wizard of Oz and there are themes within
Wizard of Oz and there are themes within that story that I think are so relevant
that story that I think are so relevant
that story that I think are so relevant to the concept of understanding that we
to the concept of understanding that we
to the concept of understanding that we are all children of the dirt that there
are all children of the dirt that there
are all children of the dirt that there is no black or white on the sepia
is no black or white on the sepia
is no black or white on the sepia palette that there is only a vast
palette that there is only a vast
palette that there is only a vast variety variety of beautiful shades that
variety variety of beautiful shades that
variety variety of beautiful shades that encompass the skin colors of human
encompass the skin colors of human
encompass the skin colors of human beings because you see when Dorothy was
beings because you see when Dorothy was
beings because you see when Dorothy was in CP ated Kansas she had everything she
in CP ated Kansas she had everything she
in CP ated Kansas she had everything she needed though she did not realize it and
needed though she did not realize it and
needed though she did not realize it and it wasn’t until she got to beautiful
it wasn’t until she got to beautiful
it wasn’t until she got to beautiful colorful Oz that she and her companions
colorful Oz that she and her companions
colorful Oz that she and her companions recognized that color really didn’t
recognized that color really didn’t
recognized that color really didn’t matter and that everything in that
matter and that everything in that
matter and that everything in that environment was manipulated by this
environment was manipulated by this
environment was manipulated by this wizard who was only using smoke and
wizard who was only using smoke and
wizard who was only using smoke and mirrors to deceive and so as I thought
mirrors to deceive and so as I thought
mirrors to deceive and so as I thought about how sometime in our communities
about how sometime in our communities
about how sometime in our communities individuals have been deceived by the
individuals have been deceived by the
individuals have been deceived by the concept of
concept of
concept of black and white and one greater than and
black and white and one greater than and
black and white and one greater than and one less than or one to be preferred and
one less than or one to be preferred and
one less than or one to be preferred and one to be denied and if you really think
one to be denied and if you really think
one to be denied and if you really think about it when you’re applying it to the
about it when you’re applying it to the
about it when you’re applying it to the human skin tone it really doesn’t make a
human skin tone it really doesn’t make a
human skin tone it really doesn’t make a lot of sense because if you were to look
lot of sense because if you were to look
lot of sense because if you were to look at true black and true white you would
at true black and true white you would
at true black and true white you would notice that none of our skin colors
notice that none of our skin colors
notice that none of our skin colors match either of those colors so I
match either of those colors so I
match either of those colors so I confess that I have no fixation on the
confess that I have no fixation on the
confess that I have no fixation on the colors of black and white when it
colors of black and white when it
colors of black and white when it applies to human skin tone but I truly
applies to human skin tone but I truly
applies to human skin tone but I truly believe that as children of the dirt we
believe that as children of the dirt we
believe that as children of the dirt we all are common we are brothers
all are common we are brothers
all are common we are brothers we are sisters we share the same blood
we are sisters we share the same blood
we are sisters we share the same blood and we deserve the same level of love
and we deserve the same level of love
and we deserve the same level of love and appreciation from one another so in
and appreciation from one another so in
and appreciation from one another so in conclusion I do want to also confess
conclusion I do want to also confess
conclusion I do want to also confess tonight that I hope I never become
tonight that I hope I never become
tonight that I hope I never become anything other than a hometown girl
anything other than a hometown girl
anything other than a hometown girl living in the hometown state of Kansas
living in the hometown state of Kansas
living in the hometown state of Kansas where I can enjoy my own CP ated
where I can enjoy my own CP ated
where I can enjoy my own CP ated identity but also recognize embrace and
identity but also recognize embrace and
identity but also recognize embrace and admire yours because in my heart and in
admire yours because in my heart and in
admire yours because in my heart and in my brain I have the courage to boldly
my brain I have the courage to boldly
my brain I have the courage to boldly say to anyone who asked me and even
say to anyone who asked me and even
say to anyone who asked me and even those who do not that this is my land of
those who do not that this is my land of
those who do not that this is my land of a Haws I have come to realize that as a
a Haws I have come to realize that as a
a Haws I have come to realize that as a child of the dirt I love each and every
child of the dirt I love each and every
child of the dirt I love each and every one of my brothers and sisters and I
one of my brothers and sisters and I
one of my brothers and sisters and I hope that this confession will inspire
hope that this confession will inspire
hope that this confession will inspire you my sisters and my brothers to love
you my sisters and my brothers to love
you my sisters and my brothers to love me as well as all of our other sisters
me as well as all of our other sisters
me as well as all of our other sisters and brothers all of us children of the
and brothers all of us children of the
and brothers all of us children of the dirt thank you for hearing my confession
dirt thank you for hearing my confession
dirt thank you for hearing my confession you
”
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