#maggie chen hernandez

A little bit over a decade ago, I was in a church in Harlem at an event honoring her. As soon as she stepped in the room all you heard for 10 minutes straight was her name shaking the foundation of the church, “Yuri! Yuri! Yuri!” As if she was running for office or something. But she wasn’t running for office, she was just being herself. Just one of the many elders that fought for justice but have been written out of the mainstream narratives of what is generically referred to as “the Civil Rights Movement.” One of the few that was still standing tall as her contemporaries were assassinated, imprisoned, absorbed by the poverty pimp complex or eviscerated by the war on drugs. I can say that I exist because of her, because of people like her. I do what I do because of her and people like her. When I was confused about what justice meant or how to fight for it, it was the story of Yuri Kochiyama as told to me by my mentor at the time, Maggie Chen Hernandez, that gave me more clarity. But now she is gone. This year so many like her have left us, so many that fought and taught folks like me how to fight. I always call them “humble lights” because when you meet them and talk to them, they never played themselves or carried themselves like they were much. But Yuri, people like you meant so much to folks like me, who were trying to be soldiers, who were trying to fight for justice, trying to build a better world, even though I never met you personally. Now, so many people that I grew up studying about, analyzing their life, learning their lessons, etc. are gone. And I simultaneously feel lost and found. I have said too much already and said this too many times this year. But Yuri Kochiyama, may the Spirit of Love, Truth and Justice bless you and keep you. May you rest until risen and may all those that you have inspired by your strength and presence do right by your memory.

Subhash Kateel is a writer, communicator, and the host of the radio show Let’s Talk About It!