More in this series
The Year the Fathers Died
“They all believed their fathers would continue, would always continue.”
The fathers died one after another. One had colon cancer, one diabetes and emphysema, another’s liver was crumbling and another had already had two strokes. Still, the daughters were overcome with surprise at the news. Each believing her own father would never die, for better or for worse.
the one who is not malegirlspecial girlspecial girl we thank the mother of god for you

Maria Luz: Our Lady of Light
Where did you go?

Maria Conchita: Our Lady of Understanding


Now you see him, now you don’t
He’s the one who’s deadnot you
the one who is not malegirlspecial girlspecial girl we thank the mother of god for you
Jamie Figueroa (Afro-Taíno) is Boricua by way of Ohio and long time resident of northern New Mexico. She received her MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts, where she currently teaches as a Visiting Professor. Her writing has appeared in McSweeney's, American Short Fiction, and Epoch, among other literary journals. Jamie's debut novel, published in March 2021, is Brother, Sister, Mother, Explorer.
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More by this author
What Nourishes Your Writing Ecosystem?
On the value of understanding the kind of ecosystem that will support and sustain the flourishing of our lives, on and off the page.
More in this series
What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky
“Some Mathematicians remove pain. Some deal in negative emotions. We all fix the equation of a person.”
Be Vital! Be Vigorous! Ride the Rollercoaster
Talking about it would make me sound mentally ill, and sounding mentally ill—in this economy?—feels dangerous.
Mother’s Wolves
My mind drifted to the almost-lycanthropic being I’d imagined her becoming, half wolf, half researcher, neither coming back to me, dead or alive.