Tijdens een Queer & Trans Prisoner Support Night in Bambara Groningen kwam ik het verhaal tegen van Rae Harris, een 46 jarige transgender die al 22 jaar gevangen zit. Rae heet nu Kanoa. Ik schreef Kanoa een brief en kreeg een terug en sindsdien emailen we af toe.
Ondanks dat het leven zwaar is voor hem geeft hij alles om wat van zijn leven te maken en is hij bezig met een opleiding “drug and alcohol counselor“. Ik vroeg hem wat te schrijven voor deze website. Kanoa is seksueel misbruik overlever. Reacties op dit blog graag hieronder posten en graag in het Engels! Ik stuur ze naar hem door. Ik weet zeker dat hij iedere reactie kan waarderen. Vergeet ook niet om deze petitie te tekenen. Je vind er ook meer achtergrond informatie over hem.
I am a 46 year old transman who has been incarcerated for 22 years. I came to prison with a backpack full of 23 years of past hurts and pain. Being here I have been given opportunities to address the trauma I had. I am a survivor of sexual abuse. I have successfully gone through the storm of traumatic events. to be a survivor in prison is hard. to see alot of the abuses here is also traumatic. We do the best we can as a community isolated from any norm of life. I can easily hold many resentments but i have forgiven the perpetrator of this abuse. Don’t get me wrong there are definately remnits and reminders but i use the memories and injustices as a stepping stone to help others. Humanity has definately failed so many people including me. I can only do the best i can through and for myself. It is me who has to heal and not put a bandaid on the wounds of the past.
Kanoa
09-02-2020
Het is goed dat je er bent.
Overtuig jezelf dat je er mag zijn. 🙂
Dear Kanoa,
I didn’t hear about your story until today. I don’t know you personally and don’t know all the details about how you ended up where you are in life right now. However, what I DO know, from what I just read, is that a lot of things happened in your life that you NEVER asked for and did NOT deserve.
What strikes me in all the things people write about you, is that you seem to have dedicated yourself to doing everything you can, with the means you have, to make a better life not only for yourself, but also for others. THAT is what defines you, NOT where you are, where you came from, who you love, your gender identity, or your ethnic background. It always makes me sad to see when someone seems to have been treated unfairly because of any of those reasons, as seems to be the case for you.
After everything that happened to you, you could easily have turned into a bitter person, caring for nobody but yourself. Instead, you come across as a strong person, full of compassion for your fellow human beings. You deserve to be given the opportunity to develop that further, and to spread your wings as far as you can. Although you seem to be making the best of your current situation, I hope you will soon be given a chance to breach the walls you are confined within, so you can reach even more people with your message.
Hey Kanoa. its interesting to read your tale here. how powerfull you must be to be able to let go of the negative emotions. im still struggling to take back my power now and then. there are always unpredictable moments where i cant predict how much power the past still has. i hope youll be out of prison soon. how do you carry the time there? beside writing now and then how can i aid you on your uphill fight? i hope youll get lots of visitors to help you pass time. if you want you can mail me. Obed got my email. have a good day and hope to read your responce!
love Bas
Dear Kanoa,
I’ve read about you with great admiration. Your resilience and belief in the good of man is Incredible. It’s amazing how you turn your traumas into love and strength. I wish that the love you so greatly give to others will bring you what you wish for, in the deepest of your heart.
Your spirit reminds me of the words Nelson Mandela ones spoke.
Keep up your faith and good work.
Lots of love,
Marieke Ros
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” — Nelson Mandela