My thoughts are all over the place as wonderful things and awful things happen all around me at the same time…
So to give myself a literal breather, I created a playlist that allowed me to gather my thoughts.
Honestly, this comes from the most humble of places. These are my personal thoughts on some current events and matters which happen to be reflected in the music I’ve sought out for the playlist. I am not surprised, however, I still do not understand. After confirming that I was, in fact, not imagining what I had just read—the undoing of Roe v. Wade—I felt a sudden sense of fear, of helplessness.
“Roe v. Wade, a legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, ruled (7–2) that unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional. In a majority opinion written by Justice Harry A. Blackmun, the Court held that a set of Texas statutes criminalizing abortion in most instances violated a woman’s constitutional right of privacy, which it found to be implicit in the liberty guarantee of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (“…nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”). Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022.”
I just do not understand how this is happening right now. Here—right here! Right now!
This summer is going to be heavy. Será un verano agitado.
I felt unbalanced.
I shook my head and closed my eyes thinking that would somehow make this all go away. I felt a little dizzy so I began deep breathing exercises. I needed to remain calm.
However, over and over again, all of the feelings one can feel were felt all at once. “How is this happening? What the hell is going on?” my mind spun in circles.
At that moment, I did not want to think about what could be next. Pero, I am a woman. Osea, what else am I going to do?
Let’s ponder on that while we listen to what I’ve put together.
This particular playlist allowed me some space to be introspective and be in the moment. It became healing, through rhythms and vibrations, and similar thought expressions. This selection of powerful songs is dedicated to those affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
It’s 2022, and the consequences are dire. May these sounds remind us that we are all deserving and strong. No one deserves to be treated less than. We all have stories that need to be told and heard.
MANO’S Verano Agitado Playlist
Featured image courtesy of Spotify