I Am Because You Are

"I am because you are" is a phrase central to the African philosophy of Ubuntu. It originates from the Zulu saying umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, which means "a person is a person through other people." Ubuntu is a way of life that emphasizes the importance of community and connection, and the idea that humans can't exist in isolation.

It wasn't until adulthood that I realized my family, through both our cultural practices and family traditions rooted in the Dominican Republic, had been teaching me this concept of Ubuntu all along.

Many people admire the projects I launch, the initiatives I lead, and the self-awareness I embody. What often gets overlooked, though, is the who behind it all—the ones walking alongside me, pouring into me, and lifting me up. I am Ysanet Batista Vargas—a brave, courageous, and conscious individual—because of the profound investments and nurturing I’ve received from my biological family, chosen family, mentors, spiritual guides, comrades, and friends.

Three years ago, I participated in my first Ayahuasca retreat here in the Dominican Republic. Ayahuasca, a sacred plant medicine from the Amazon, opened me up to a deep understanding of my interconnectedness. On the first day, I experienced a euphoric vision of the women who have shaped me, especially over the past decade. Their faces appeared, radiating love and wisdom, and embracing me all together. I remember feeling their embrace as a protective blanket that kept me warm and safe. 

It is my privilege and honor to name these women and femmes here. They have planted seeds in me, tended to me, pruned me when necessary, and now I get to enjoy my harvest—and so does the world. They are my lineage. If you think of me, think of them:

My Biological Lineage

• Dominga Arias Reyes (July 20, 1920 - May 6, 1979)

• Margarita Medrano Vargas (February 24, 1928 - January 20, 2009)

• Amada Batista

• Ramona del Carmen Reyes

• Diosmara “Xiomara” Reyes

• Senobia Martinez

• Jeannette Vargas

• Yvonne Vargas

• Marisol Garcia

• Ivonne Reyes Martinez

My Political and Chosen Lineage

• Heidi Maria Lopez

• Saudi Garcia

• Rachael Ibrahim

• Monica Dennis

• Karen Washington

• Alicia Anabel Santos

• Trina Marie Leufroy

• adrienne maree brown

• Onika Abraham

• Frances Perez Rodriguez

• Bianca Shaw

• Angelica de la Cruz

• Aysa Gray

• Paris Alexandra

• Kristine Negrin

• Yajaira Toribio

• Dabrali Diaz Herrera

• Angelyna Cabral

• Luz Cuevas

• Karla Gonzalez-Kuehler

• Ámate Perez

• Bary Reyes

These people are humans, mothers, daughters, partners, community organizers, activists, artists, cultural creators, social entrepreneurs, and more. They are the ones who have mentored, taught, and guided me in chasing my dreams, living authentically, becoming politicized, naming my identities, and doing the deep healing work that’s shaped me into who I am today. They have shared resources, housing, grants, and connections. And many have been in the deep trenches of life with me.

A Practice of Attribution: This practice of honoring those who shaped us is something I learned from the creators of Racial Equity & Liberation (Monica Dennis, Rachael Ibrahim, and Heidi Lopez). They call it Attribution—intentionally naming the people and experiences that make your work and life possible.

The word "attribute" itself is connected to paying tribute. For example, an award winner thanking an inspiring professor is attributing their success to that professor. This simple yet profound act shifts the narrative from individualism to interdependence.

My Invitation to You: I invite you, who is reading this, to reflect on your life’s journey and name the people who’ve shaped you. Let them know how they’ve impacted your life. Together, let’s normalize giving credit where it’s due—not just for inspiration or resources borrowed but for the seeds that others have planted in us. But definitely always thank people for sharing an opportunity, resource, advice and if what they gave you provides an abundant harvest… then you already know you must share that harvest, too. 

We must be intentional about honoring people’s contributions, especially those of Black women and femmes, whose labor and wisdom are often erased or underappreciated in their lifetimes. When we attribute, we disrupt the transactional ways of being ingrained in capitalist and oppressive systems.

As I write this, I think of the women who made monumental contributions to history and were only credited posthumously: Henrietta Lacks, Katherine Johnson, Mamie Till-Mobley, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and so many more. Let’s change that narrative while we still have the chance to give flowers to the living.

This blog is my small offering to the women who’ve shaped me. My platform may not reach the masses, but if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll carry their names with you when you think of me, my work, or my way of being.

Because of them, I am.