No work happens in a vacuum and this is no different. I would not have been able to do this without the loving support of my partner Carre Real. He stayed up late with me when I was struggling with a line and pushed me to do the things that scared me. He was instrumental in the book’s development. And I would not be the person I am today without him. He also did the photography for the book cover and goddamn, he did a really good job. Thank you to Norys Rodriguez-Ray for doing a stellar job in designing the book cover and for being patient with me. Thank you to my Mother for putting up with me and showing me what strength looks like.

I want to thank Kim Alidio and Lyndon Gill for their loving feedback on how to make my poems as sharp as they can be.  I want to shout out to all the beautiful femmes in my life that inspire me, Cindy Elizabeth, Enakai Deveraux, Caleb Luna, Althea Clemons, Nia Robinson, Askari Luna Gonzalez, Ivy May Doyle, Jules Minkoff, Erin Bunny, Lisa Schergen, y’all keep my feet to the ground and remind me the importance of family and brunch. I want to thank Biyuti Publishing for reaching out and encouraging me to do this, you have been absolutely instrumental in facilitating this process. I want to thank my ancestors and all those girls like me that have gone before that have blazed a trail so that I could be here today. Thank you Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major, Bamby Salcedo, Janet Mock. I stand on the shoulder of giants.

Lastly, I want to thank you, dear reader, for witnessing these poems. Sharing them with you has been such a blessing.