Black History Today: Levi and Aaron, unapologetic and brilliant expressions of love

Black History Today, created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and beyond and recognizes the people among us who are boldly shaping the future.

By Marcus Harden

C.S. Lewis once spoke of The Four Loves and the ways love shows up in our lives.

Storge — the love of familiarity.

The quiet, selfless love. The kind that lives in presence, not performance. The love a parent gives a child, steady, patient, affectionate without needing to be announced.

Philia — the love of friendship.

Chosen family. Deep bonds built through trust, shared values, and lived experiences. A love that, at times, runs thicker than blood.

Eros — the romantic love.

The love of true life partners. Intimate, intentional, and bold. The decision to do life for and with another.

Agape — the charitable love.

The unconditional love. Patient. Kind. Giving without keeping score. The love many, no matter the form, call “God” love.

So this year, as we celebrate a traditional day of love, it is my honor to honor all four.

Welcome to this special four-part series — an offering of love for those who truly are Black History Today.

“There is no love like the love of a brother or a sister; it is a love rooted in shared memory.”

Storge — Levi & Aaron

I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to watch these two amazing young people truly grow—from before the cradle, to watching them blossom into their gifts.

Their mother’s intentional growth to give them all that she knows to give—love, light, and surrounding them in a village that gives them permission to live life unapologetically, and to lead even as they blaze their own trail.

Whether in the classroom, in community, on stage, or in the kitchen—while their story is not yet complete, the pages they’ve written already give the greatest gift we all get to bear… hope.

Levi & Aaron, you are seen. You are believed in. You are loved.

And you are Black History Today.

As written by guest author Micheala Kyles

By Michaela Kyles

A Love Letter to Levi

(An expression of Storge love that stays, grows, and anchors us through becoming)

Levi,

You came into my life at a moment when I was still learning who I was. I was young, becoming, unsteady, and grieving in ways I didn’t yet have language for. I was mourning the loss of your twin sister, carrying a sorrow so deep it lived in my body. And in the middle of that quiet devastation, there you were.

You saved my life.

Not by trying. Not by knowing. But simply by being. By needing me. By loving me. By anchoring me to the present when grief tried to pull me under. Loving you gave me a reason to stay, to heal, to grow forward instead of folding inward. You were light when I didn’t believe light still existed.

You have always loved fiercely. You protect the people you love with an instinct that feels ancient, like something you were born remembering. You do not love halfway. You do not show up timidly. You love with your whole chest, your whole spirit, your whole truth.

I am endlessly proud of how deeply you feel your convictions and how bravely you stand by them. You do not bend yourself to fit the moment—you let the moment rise to meet you. Your brilliance is undeniable. Your writing is culture-shifting. It challenges, comforts, and cracks things open. Your beauty is otherworldly, not because of how you look, but because of how you are.

You move through the world like art. You can dance. You can sing. You can fence. You can think. You can feel. You have always been many things at once, refusing to be simplified or softened for anyone’s comfort.

You have always known yourself.

Watching you grow has been one of the greatest honors of my life. You remind me that love can be both tender and unyielding. That softness and strength are not opposites. That becoming yourself is a lifelong act of courage.

Thank you for choosing me as your mother. Thank you for saving my life without ever being asked to. Thank you for being exactly who you are.

I am so proud of you. Always.

Love,

Mom

A Love Letter to Aaron

(Storge in motion—the quiet, steady love that protects, listens, and makes room)

Aaron,

I want you to know how deeply proud I am of you—not for who the world wants you to be, but for who you have chosen to be.

By the time you came into my life, I had built walls to protect myself. Grief, responsibility, and survival had taught me how to stay standing, but also how to stay guarded. I did not realize how much softness I had tucked away until you arrived and gently brought it back to the surface. Loving you reminded me how to be tender again. It showed me parts of myself I thought were gone.

You show up as yourself, fully and without apology. You do not allow people to label you or shrink you into something easier to understand. You stand firm in your boundaries, even when it would be simpler to stay quiet. That kind of self-respect takes courage, and you carry it with grace.

Your heart for your friends is something rare. You are loyal in a way that is steady and intentional. You protect the people you love—your sister, your family, your community—with a quiet strength that doesn’t need to be announced. You watch. You listen. You learn. And when you speak, your words carry weight because they are rooted in thought and care.

I see so much of my father in you. The way you move through the world with awareness, the way you listen beyond what is being said. Your spiritual ear is finely tuned. You notice what others miss.

I see you.

I hear you.

You have always been curious, especially in the kitchen. Watching you move through recipes, seek out new techniques, and trust your instincts as a chef is like watching your mind at work—creative, precise, and deeply thoughtful. The way you learn is beautiful. You don’t rush understanding; you let it unfold.

This past summer, you let people see you. You opened yourself up and allowed others in, and in doing so, you showcased all your talents—your leadership, your creativity, your warmth. The community you have built around yourself is a reflection of who you are. Watching it grow has been nothing short of extraordinary.

You have grown into a true gentleman. You make sure your friends are safe before you leave. You create space for them to be honest. You are a place of trust, of comfort, of belonging. You fill a gap that many grown men have not yet figured out how to hold—with empathy, accountability, and care.

I am so proud of the young man you are becoming. I am in awe of your being.

Love always,

Mom