History doesn’t live in books—it lives in us. It pulses through our veins, whispers in our fears, and shapes the way we see ourselves and the world. My lineage, like so many others, is tangled in a complex web of power, survival, oppression, and resilience.
I am a descendant of John Mason, the military commander of the Mystic Fort Massacre against the Pequot people in 1637—a brutal moment in early colonial history. I also carry the legacy of French royalty during the French Revolution, a bloodline wrapped in both privilege and the violent upheaval that came with it.
And on the other side? I am the granddaughter of Greek and Mexican immigrants who left everything behind in search of something better, who carried their own struggles, fears, and sacrifices to build a life in a country that both welcomed and challenged them.
To say that my ancestry is complicated is an understatement. But isn’t that true for all of us?
What Colonialism Left Behind
It’s easy to look at history in black and white. Victims and villains. Oppressors and the oppressed. Good and evil. But real life—real history—isn’t that simple. The descendants of those who conquered carry weight, just as those who were displaced carry wounds.
The system of colonialism didn’t just build empires—it created a ripple effect of generational trauma, power dynamics, and survival instincts that still live within us today.
🔹 The Fear of Scarcity – The belief that there is not enough. Enough land, enough resources, enough safety. Colonialism thrived on this fear, and that scarcity mindset still exists today in the way we compete, hoard, and protect what we believe is “ours.”
🔹 The Burden of Guilt and Denial – Many of us with colonial ancestry feel either deeply disconnected from it or helpless in the face of its reality. We either ignore it, drown in shame, or feel like there is no way to reconcile the past.
🔹 Inherited Power Structures – Just as trauma is passed down, so is privilege. Those whose ancestors ruled, conquered, or oppressed may unconsciously carry the patterns of control, dominance, or the fear of losing power.
And yet, history does not define us. It influences us, but it does not own us.
The Path to Decolonization & Healing
Decolonization isn’t just about dismantling systems of power—it’s about looking within and asking, “What has colonialism imprinted onto me that I don’t want to carry anymore?”
Because healing isn’t just for the oppressed. Healing is for all of us.
✨ Taking Responsibility Without Shame – In teachings like Ho’oponopono, healing isn’t about guilt. It’s about acknowledgment. We are all connected, and therefore, all responsible for shifting the energy we inherited.
✨ Releasing Inherited Fear – Whether it’s fear of scarcity, fear of “the other,” or fear of losing control—these patterns were passed down to us. They are not ours.
✨ Breaking Cycles of Domination – Power does not have to mean control. Healing means choosing balance over domination, peace over force.
✨ Honoring, Not Holding On – I honor my ancestors, but I do not carry their wounds or their sins as my own. I can love where I come from while still choosing to evolve beyond it.
Healing Forward
I love my country. I love what my ancestors built, even through struggle. But I cannot ignore the radical deportations, discrimination, and systemic cycles of suffering that continue today.
I know where I come from. I know the blood that was spilled on all sides of my lineage. And I refuse to let the past dictate my future.
Healing starts within. If we want to change the world, we must first change the way we operate in it. Because when we heal ourselves, we create space for others to heal, too.
Instead of asking, “What does my ancestry mean about me?” I now ask, “What will I do with this knowledge?”
Because healing isn’t about looking back—it’s about what we build next.
