This letter was shared on December 3rd, 2022. I posted on social and sent emails to my connections with a link to this site. This letter lived on the homepage until now.
Dear friends, family, and acquaintances,
I have made the decision to change my name. From this day forth, I wish to be known as Indigo Terra. My pronouns are she/they.
Rachel Michaels will always be a part of me as I have lived with this name for 28+ years. I have the utmost respect for my parents, grandparents, greater family and heritage. I don’t want this name change to be interpreted as disregard for the people who have helped me get this far. I hope my family knows I love and appreciate them.
But, alas, I am not the person I once was. My parents decided to divorce when I was 13 during the holidays, right after my grandma, a wonderful woman in her own right, left this earth. My family unit crumbled and I tried way too hard to hold it all together, putting all my energy into surviving and protecting my younger sister. I faced unprecedented loss and grief and have spent 15 years recovering, with the help of therapy and medication. I am transparent about all of this in hope to normalize talking about mental health.
My family unit looks different now. Both parents have remarried. I have new bonus-parents, another sibling, as well as my “chosen” family. I have felt the power of unconditional love firsthand and I am eternally grateful, for it has changed me forevermore. I seek to expand my horizons to a larger and more inclusive context, starting with this name change. I am committed to healing years of intergenerational trauma inherited from my ancestors, in particular the uterus owners. I respect my birth mother and all mothers on this earth, for you are truly superhuman. I honor the greatest mother of all, Mother Earth, with my new last name, Terra.
Throughout my life experiences, I have learned the foundation of all healthy relationships is communication, trust and respect. With that in mind, I ask that you respect me and my decision to change my name by referring to me as Indigo.
If you want to hear more about my journey, I am considering writing blog posts. If you are interested, please let me know by subscribing below.
Thank you for reading.
With love,
Indigo Terra
What now? I would suggest starting with updating my contact information on your phone and other devices. If you slip up and call me Rachel, that is fine. I have compassion for the process of changing learned behaviors. Old habits die hard. Please just know that my patience has limits.
i am indigo 