Lili.

This charcoal drawing is a portrait of you around 2009, standing against the wall of our home in the District of Matutuine — where we were living our best days together, though we didn’t yet know it.

Your small hands cup your face, your eyes hold the curious gaze of an innocent child, and your beautiful curls frame your fearless expression — the essence of your spirit, even then.

The youngest of four, you have always been independent and endlessly creative — I’d even argue the most creative among us. A quick learner, you were swimming in the deep end all on your own at only three years old. You could make anything out of nothing. My favorite memory is the afternoon you proudly walked into the living room with an M&M vending machine you had built out of cardboard on your bedroom floor. I was and will forever be in awe of you, my sister. And still, I can’t help but wonder if, being the youngest, you ever felt forgotten or left aside when you deserved to be so loved and seen.

May you never stop twisting and turning everyone’s brains with your questions and conspiracy theories. May your contagious laughter continue to fill every room. And may I still get to sleep by your side, every now and then, until we’re grumpy old ladies.

Love,

— Naciah

An ode to my sister Aaliyah, this piece is more than a portrait — it’s a love letter to her courage, her imagination, and to the girl who taught me that authenticity and true strength live in those who keep going, even when no one is watching.