Goya and Marshall's mother left them with a powerful legacy they would always remember, even though it came with a combination of celebratory moments and traumatic family memories that they often wished to forget. There were certainly periods of immense joy in their family, but there were also periods that caused pain and anguish. Their mother taught them that if they had faith in better days to come, they could excel despite adversity. That lesson helped Marshall overcome years of darkness, abuse, and instability. It gave them the tools to master their own emotions and the strength to make their own decisions. Although Goya did not experience traumatic events nor abuse, there were incidents that left her evaluating who could be trusted, and she questioned many family decisions.Goya and Marshall's memoir, I Know Why Mama Cried , is a testament to the power of a mother who would stop at nothing to give her children everything. That power strengthened the children who brought it forth into their own lives and then into the lives their children. Goya and Marshall's story shows how the ties that bind us to our families will always change us, but never in the ways we expect.