After hours of anxiety, desperation, and frustration I went to sleep crying, with an immense pain in my heart dreading the outcome of the presidential election. On November 9th 2016, I woke up with devastating news that a wealthy white supremacist, racist, bigot, sexist, xenophobic, and misogynist, won the presidential election and is now the President of the United States. Donald Trump is the new commander in chief of America. But I refuse his sentiments, he is not my president!

What does Donald Trump’s win signify to the American people?

Donald Trump’s win is evidence that we cannot continue to ignore that racism, white supremacy, discrimination, sexism, and all the “isms” clearly govern this country. This election encompasses all the hatred that has been harbored and perpetuated for centuries.

• Donald Trump’s win demonstrates that this nation would rather have an incompetent, ignorant, inexperience white man running the country than a knowledgeable woman with immense qualifications and experience.
• Donald Trump’s win validates my fear that this nation has been harvesting so much hate and racism that they are lashing out against the democratic party, our American people for nominating a well-educated charismatic man of color, Barack Obama as a commander in chief for 2 consecutive terms.
• Donald Trump’s win ensured that my family and friends woke up terrified for their own well-being, their children’s mental and emotional health, and their children’s future.
• Donald Trump’s win signifies that my family and friends will live in fear, anxiety, and pain for the next four years because of their identity, their beliefs, and affinity groups.
• His win means that my loved ones will live in fear, day in and day out for their own safety, in fear of someone committing a racist or hatred act towards them.
• His win validates that the majority of white people in this country are fine with racism, white supremacy, sexism, bigotry, xenophobia, homophobia, and sexual assault among other problematic issues.
• His win demonstrates that this country has never loved us- people of color, women, immigrants, economically disadvantaged, Latinos, African Americans, Muslims, Native Americans, LGBTQA community...and the list goes on with diverse people that are not the dominant white group in America.
• I am terrified of the future of this nation, terrified that students of color might have fewer opportunities and resources for educational advancement with this administration.
• Donald Trump’s win also means that our sacrifices and the ones of our ancestors have not been validated.
• His win means that I will have to struggle every day to have the strength, hope, and persistence in the fight to end discrimination, racism, white supremacy, oppression, and sexism.
• His win evokes a sense of betrayal from a country that was suppose to protect me from bullies, terrorism, and hate but elected a man that is doing just that to all the people that are not white wealthy men.
• I am terrified for what his presidency means and how his plans will affect higher education.
• His win means that the we have a long way to go in the fight towards equity and justice but I will continue to fight for educational access, equity, diversity, and inclusion for people of color, for immigrants, for Latinos, for African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, people with disabilities, women, the LGBTQA community, and so forth while promoting Love and Unity.
• Donald Trump’s win demonstrates that some days will be rough. I might feel discouraged, but these are times when I have to take care of myself and my loved ones because self-care is essential as we proceed in the path to liberation.
• I would like to say for those people that have deeply embedded stereotypes, prejudices towards people from diverse groups, people of color, people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds; for those folks that voted for trump, may you explain to your daughters, sisters, mothers, friends, immigrant father, queer cousin, Latino friend, African-American colleague that you voted for a man that wants to oppress every community and identity that defines them.
• This win is debilitating, has me speechless because how do I begin to apologize to my father for all his sacrifices immigrating from Mexico to this country, working hard to give us a better life and better opportunities, where he recently became a U.S citizen that his identities are demoralized and don’t matter to a vast majority of Americans.
• I am dreading that conversation because I also feel scared and overwhelmed with shame that this our reality, this is the country I call home.
• I stand in solidarity with any person, with all groups, communities that feel marginalized, disadvantaged, hurt, terrified, vulnerable, unsafe, and worried about the future of this country.
• I stand in solidarity with folks that have had their identities threatened, their existence invalidated, and their beliefs questioned by an incompetent man.
• I stand in solidarity with folks that feel betrayed by this election terrified and demoralized by the people that voted for trump.
• I stand in solidarity with people that have experience microaggressions, racism, discrimination, sexism, homophobia first hand and are dealing with the trauma, trying to keep it together.
• I stand in solidarity with my people of color that have to live in a nation that was never built for them, that have had to suffer for equity all their lives and will continue this fight to liberation by any means necessary.

And as the wonderful activist and leader, Martin Luther King Jr stated: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -MLK

For those people that call themselves my friends but voted for trump, you are supporting a man that is oppressing my people and is invalidating my experiences, invalidating my whole existence, and everything I stand for. And let it be known that we are not friends! His win shows that this fight is not over, we will not give up, but we will exercise our rights, take action and organize to bring change!

For those that are grieving, I am here for you. I am here to protect, to fight, and to tell you that I love you! We have the ability and the strength to fight injustice and hate to bring love and unity. We will love and protect each other because that is the only way to successfully fight and resist this administration, resist the systems of oppression and the institutionalized racism. Let it be known that we are not giving up in the pursuit of justice. We will trump hate with Love. People of color, people from diverse backgrounds and identities will fight for liberation!

#StayWoke #FightforLiberation #PursuitofJustice #LoveandUnity #SafetyPin #LovetrumpsHate #NotMyPresident #LiberationByAnyMeansNecessary