my roots are heat and power outages, cultural

foods like mangu–mashed platanos & salami

& eggs from top to bottom.

music that makes you want to dance all night

its chachas and boom boom booms like eta loca

ta come tigere loca loca loca yeah

that’s what i groove to.

these are just my dominican roots

with my crazy dances & the delicious food

that make my taste buds dance with flavor.

home you are so beautiful with your groovy

dances & great spirited people but why

do they have to suffer for your pain?

Tiffany Mejia, Age 13, Grade 7, Junior High School 145 Arturo Toscanini, Silver Key