Dear Damayanti,
11 years ago, on March 9th, 2015, we met in the hallway of our soon to be high school as 14 year olds eighth graders from far neighborhoods of Chicago. I remember my first words to you were, “goddamn you’re tall.” Now, you are my roommate and emergency contact in New York at 25.
For almost half of my life, you have been by my side. From sitting next to each other in 3 hour conservatory classes to our dinner dates at Hello Saigon in college, there is no lack to the memories I have made with you. I knew I had a friend in you from the moment we met, but I didn’t know I had a lifelong friend, chosen family, until the years flew by.
To have watched you grow into the person you are has been the most magical thing. I remember witnessing all the milestones. Specifically, I remember the days both of us got into college. I remember screaming in your ear and hugging you on the second floor hallway, outside the biology room of our high school when you got into NYU with yellow lockers surrounding us. I remember the way we hugged and cried just before our writing awards ceremony on UIC campus when I got into Columbia.
I would not be where I am today without you. I know this to be true. You have seen me at my absolute bests and my extreme worsts. You have expanded my world to the possibilities of art, literature, language, media, and culture in indescribable ways in the time I have known you. You have pushed the boundaries of what it means to be an artist, a writer, a creative, an organizer, and ultimately a friend. You knew me before I even knew myself truly, before my step into my queerness with my big chop, and before I became August.
Thank you for being my emergency contact. Thank you for loving every version of me that has existed these past 11 years. I have been blessed to have loved every version of you these past 11 years and look forward to the many future versions of you that I will get to love. I’ll continue to stand by your side no matter the turbulence, no matter what the world throws at you. It’s us, two little Chicago kids, against the world.
Love you forever and always,
August
