I wanted to be light and bubbly like the champagne I was sipping. I wanted to feel the joy I was certain was in me. But I couldn't look away from the white waters of the river as they fought their way through felled trees and branches, as they broke over boulders and carved the forest floor into something deep and ancient. All I could see in the river was story. I saw the stories of my ancestors. My mother's story. I felt them bursting like a dam in my bloodstream. I felt my own story swell up like a flood in me. I had been silent for so long it nearly drowned me.
-- Sasha LaPointe (Blanket-Wrapping Ceremony)

Importance: This vivid passage encapsulates a pivotal moment in Sasha LaPointe's inner journey towards healing as she contemplates her ancestral heritage and personal narrative. The river's turbulent waters mirror the stories of struggle and resilience coursing through...