Kaleb Sanchez

Viscerality of Freedom

I hear the hurt, I hear the truth

I know what was lost

I felt it slip between my teeth

It was eaten once, and regurgitated by blood-ridden mire

I watched, I waited, I walked the fire

Cast your line to me, my downtrodden soul

Speak your words through kaleidoscope mind

Hands hold the hearth, and with ashes ignite

The process of making this tattered flesh anew

My work highlights the importance of, and grotesque nature of the healing process. Commonly it is thought that healing is always meant to appear as well as feel pleasant. This is not true. Just as breaking is messy, so is healing. Physical wounds itch, swell, and reopen as they mend. Even when the surface appears healed, the layers beneath take time to repair themselves. Psychological healing follows a similar trajectory. It is uncomfortable, unpredictable, and deeply personal.

Trauma frequently manifests through cycles of shame and fear. These emotions are often reinforced by social systems that emphasize conformity and moral judgment. In many cases, religious or political structures can reinforce these dynamics by framing difference—particularly neurodivergent and queer identities—as deviant or dangerous.

Growing up in a conservative Baptist environment shaped my understanding of these dynamics. Certain emotions, identities, and forms of expression were framed as threatening or immoral. As a result, many individuals within these communities internalize shame and suppress aspects of themselves in order to survive. As an autistic trans man, I was one of them.

Kaleb Sanchez ‘26

Advisor: Daren Kendall

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