An open letter to Rebecca Walker

Dear Rebecca Walker,

I see you. 

I read your book "Black, White & Jewish" years ago. As someone who is Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish, Comanche, Mesquaki & Cherokee (I love to embrace the complexity) and also someone who is a child of activists, your story resonated with me on multiple levels. I love your work. And it didn't make me hate your mother's writing. She's brilliant, she's human, she's flawed and I love her work too.

However, how someone treats their craft doesn't excuse how they treat people in their life, no matter how great their work may be. I understand this complexity too. I know more children of dedicated activists who feel abandoned by their parents then anything else. Many of us shun the movements our parents were a part of because we associate that movement, whatever it may be, with our abandonment. Personally, even though we're on good terms these days, I still have never read Marx because that was my father's thing. This is another reason why I loved your book. It gave voice to something similar to what I was going through. My friends and I had talked about it sure, but I never read anything like it before. Not until reading about your life, and Octavia Butler's "Parable Of The Talents".

Earlier tonight I went to the premiere of "Beauty In Truth", this new film about your mother. Alice Walker talked a lot about sacrifices she made for her writing, spending time apart from you being one of her sacrifices. The part that bothers me is that this "sacrifice" was a choice she made. It was not a choice you had any part in making, but as a young person I imagine you felt every bit of it. There was a part of the movie where she seemed so wounded, I think someone went as far to say that you are trying to make a name for yourself by talking about your relationship with your mother in the media. This portrayal of you wasn't fair, and isn't true to how I've seen you in your writing. Further, if your voice wasn't in the film, I don't think they should of talked about you as much as they did.

This all feels like an incredibly personal issue between people I've never met, and to be honest I don't feel like I have any business writing this kind of letter... but what I saw for a few minutes on that screen just didn't feel right. So while people around me are talking about how great the film was, this also must be said.

Rebecca Walker, I see you. Your healing in public helps others heal too. And you don't owe anybody an apology for it either.

I do wish your entire family healing. However that might look.

You both inspire me.

with love & respect

-- gabriel teodros