Solana Quotes

“Why wasn't society sympathetic towards black people? Their land had been stolen. Their neighborhoods were burned down. Many of them faced mass eviction. Slavery. Segregation. Being barred from achieving an education and getting a high-end job.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Pregnancy is not something to take lightly,” he continued. “My mother suffered through two pregnancies, and nobody took care of her. Not even the doctors she went to. They told her that it was normal, that gestational hypertension and diabetes are something that many pregnant women experience, and that she was just being dramatic.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Dramatic. Was it normal for doctors to think black women were professional actresses, using their pregnancies to try to garner sympathy and attention from others?”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“I love you,” he said to her. “And I want you to know that you have a special place in my heart. You’re the first and only woman I've ever loved like this.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“For a few minutes, Solana basked in his embrace. He was the perfect husband. The man who understood her more than anyone else. The love of her life, the father of her baby, and the first and only man she’d ever put her trust in.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“She wanted Webb to know that she was done dealing with all of this. And she didn’t care about losing her job. If she lost her job for taking a stand against racism and sexism against black women coming from Webb, she’d calmly walk away and stand up for what she believed was right.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Although Marisol’s words were factual, they hit Charlize much too hard. Charlize was well aware of the racism and sexism that women of color faced. The institutional racism was real, and her mother had been a victim of it.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Charlize stood up from where she sat and walked next to Marisol, who comfortingly placed an arm around Charlize’s shoulders. She attempted not to cry or choke on tears she'd been holding back for days. Getting fired for standing up for herself and other black women hurt more than she expected it to, but here she was—ready to make a difference and fight the biased system.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Solana looked down at her stomach, thinking of the baby inside of her. Was she going to bring this child into a world full of hate and prejudice? How could she protect her beloved baby?”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“Solana pressed her hand to her stomach and the fluttering increased. The baby’s response to the mother’s touch.

“I'll never let you down,” she said. But she wasn’t sure if she could keep that promise. She felt so heartbroken for Mylez, so heartbroken for his innocent son, Jabari, who would have to grow up without a mother.

Motherlessness—Solana knew what it felt like firsthand because her mother abandoned her. And it still hurt, although she was a grown adult who could hold her own when it happened.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“You have an army of supporters,” Marisol said. “We’re all here for you. You have every right to be upset about how your wife was treated as a black woman, how you were treated as a black man, and what that has resulted in. What happened is unforgettable, and it’s unforgivable too.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana

“This is a reminder of the injustices black and brown women, and all women of color in the system face. The hospital simply attributed their deaths to pregnancy complications and childbirth. The babies were believed to have died from lung problems, birth defects, and heart and brain issues as well. But one thing we know is that ignoring these women’s concerns and subjecting them to unfair conditions also contributed to their untimely and scary deaths. This hospital needs to be shut down until they can come clean about their evil doings,” Yamileth continued.”
― Lydia V. Simms, Solana