Sepptember 25, 2021
To my best friend and partner in crime, Faith Laugier.
Today is your birthday. The world feels less safe without you in it. We walked alongside each other for most of life’s adventures. It pains me to think I will have to walk through the rest of my life without you by my side. I am so grateful for that moment in freshman Global Studies at Brooklyn Tech when I finally mustered up the courage to talk to you. I complimented you about the Baja you were wearing and asked you where you got it. “Lollapalooza,” you said. Wow, I thought to myself, this girl is so cool. Once we got to talking, it was really our love of Guns N Roses 🌹 that sealed the deal. In fact, I am pretty sure it was watching you rock Nirvana on your guitar that inspired me to become a female musician, not just a singer.
As you traipsed through the hallways of Brooklyn Tech, all five feet ten of your gorgeous fashionable self, I was happy to be your companion from that point on. On the streets of New York City and in the trees of Central Park.
Over those years, you introduced me to a new world of raves and parties and an amazing network of artists, cultural icons, fashionistas and more. At the same time, we knew the homeless population on a first-name basis, because you never discriminated a person’s worth based on class. In fact, if I hadn’t met you, I don’t know if I would be the person I am today.
You drew so much attention to yourself everywhere we went. I was always so in awe of you as I went along for the ride. I’ll never forget: modeling for Patricia Fields on ice skates, getting stopped on the street and offered a spread in Vogue magazine, being picked out of the crowd to go backstage with Danzig where you proceeded to talk to him about politics for hours, showing up at Mike Richter’s house and pretending we knew him only to have the doorman believe us, missing out on being in the movie Kids (because you actually knew all those kids), going to Russell Simmons house with Kanye, and more. These are all true Manhattan stories. And you were the main character in most of them. I was there for most of these stories, and some were just relayed to me. There is and never will be anyone quite like you.
Aside from these adventures, you became an emotional rock in my life. In adulthood, you helped me through relationship struggles, worked alongside me on every one of my hair-brained schemes, and were my part of my main support system throughout both of my pregnancies. You acknowledged my inner beauty, outer beauty and good-heartedness; you allowed me to make the ultimate impact by joining you on the activist’s journey. You were not just the coolest girl in the room, you were the kindest. An amazing friend, sister, daughter, girlfriend and more. As I honor you on your birthday, I remember how important gift-giving and testimonies were to you on birthdays. You painstakingly deliberated what presents you were going to buy your nephews, who you loved more than anything. You did the same for your sister, father and mother. This ritual was top priority. You were giving and never missed an opportunity to illustrate it.
There are not enough words in the English language to encapsulate the magic you brought to this world. But I would never pass up the opportunity to let you know what you meant to me in a loving tribute on your birthday.
Faith Laugher, you are the most incredible woman I have ever met and there will never be anyone who compares to you on this planet, in this universe or beyond.
