Dear One,
This art project is my love letter to you. When I was a teenager and in my early twenties I wrote a lot of love letters. I think one of my first love letters was to my girlfriend when I was in seventh grade. I don’t think I loved her really. I just wrote her a love letter because I thought that’s what you do when you have a girlfriend. In high school, I wrote love letters to my first love (and that time, I really was in love). I made art along with the letters I sent, and maybe even the letters themselves could have been art. I don’t really remember what I thought about the things I sent to her–if they were art or if she thought they were love letters or if we were just pen-pals or what. I never talked about it with her. I wish we had.
Back then I thought of love–like romantic love, family love, love for god, love for people I had never even met–I thought of all those loves as requirements, I thought–I must love them. I have to lvoe them. My understanding of love is much different now. And I’m grateful for that.
Now, love transforms. Love nourishes. I seek love that doesn’t own me. I desire a healing love. I deserve tender love. And as QTBIPoC I still feel so parched for love. Where was the love I deserved years ago? I wanted it. I want it. But I also yearn for radical platonic love. I long for passionate friendships. I want so much. And I still want more. I want to share the love I have been given too.
“Our Love Letters” is for you. However you are or have been, you are welcome here.
…
I’m really glad that you’re here and even if only for a short while–you took up space that has been made for you. We might not know each other so I don’t want to be insincere and say I love you, but, I do have love for you. If you and I never meet, I want you to know that I have so much love for you and the rest of our QTBIPoC community.
Thank you for reading and witnessing this love letter to you.
Love,
Jae
Angel 