Dear world,

In a nation that was founded on principles of freedom and equality, The United States has operated in a cycle of failure and reconciliation. We aren't perfect, no country is, but we strive to be the best version of ourself and that is all that any nation can do. We have made mistakes in the past, grand mistakes, and are now learning of the atrocity of such faults in our way of thinking and of our actions.

In the past, we enslaved people who looked different than we did for centuries simply because we could. We silenced women for decades and told them that their place in society was behind men. We slaughtered thousands of natives to claim their land and drove them into smaller and smaller reservations because we had the power to do so. America was not built upon an idealistic dream of a utopia. We are young, not even near to three hundred years in age, and we are struggling to escape the endless cycle of tragic mistakes that we have witnessed in the early years of so many other nations. We have not yet traversed through our Tudors, our Mary, our Amin, and I pray that a democracy such as ours will never have to endure such tyranny and poor leadership, but the historical data supports the idea that we will have a handful of poor leaders in our development as a nation, regardless of the technological, philosophical, and social advancements that we have in the modern day.

With the above being said, my heart grieves at the notion that we, as a supposedly civilized and respectable nation could and would rally behind a man- who ought to embody the ideals of our country and its inhabitants- make blatant attempts to humiliate, dehumanize, and disqualify individuals whose deepest roots are not secured in our country. I am trapped in a loop of disbelief that a man who holds a position revered and respected by all misrepresents and disappoints millions of people worldwide, and the disbelief that we, as a nation of 323 million people allowed this to happen and have not made a forceful enough push to replace such poor leadership.

In specific regards to the events of this last week, wherein our president became angry in a discussion concerning a bipartisan immigration deal and immigrants protection from countries such as Haiti, El Salvador, and those of Africa, saying, "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" It is no secret that people migrate to the States because of the principles we supposedly embody, and the freedom that we are privileged to have. Such freedom is not so common in all countries, and the idea of the "American Dream" has ensnared the fascination of dreamers and ambitious go-getters for years. Freedom to live and work in a country that will not condemn you for your skin color nor your socioeconomic status. Everyone is able to live the life they want with a bit of hard work and dedication, right?

We have projected the idea that we are the ideal society onto the remaining population of the world. We take what we like from other cultures and acclimate those things to fit our liking perfectly, with no regards to their heritage or significance in their original culture and context. We do the same with people- we take those who we best like, who best serve our needs and our desires, and those who do not fit such a model we try to mold to our liking. When they don't fit, or are not conforming as we would like, we get rid of them, we look down upon them- in our eyes, they are not enough, not worthy. Our president is doing such a thing now. The minorities who have come to America to seek a quality of life not offered in their own country seek asylum in our nations "welcoming arms" and received an embrace...for a short while. They have kept their culture, brought it into our lives even, and have not assimilated entirely to white America's preference, and so we have no choice but to reject them. Not harshly. Not by driving them back to their country ourselves, but by letting them know so subtly that they are not like us, and that is bad, better to return someplace where they are like others, where they blend in.

I have learned love and strength from migrants. I have learned what it looks like to live in privilege, and how my privilege has blinded me to its absence in others. I have been humbled and brought low in recognizing my own American exceptionalist ideas, and how I have lived 19 years without combatting such a misguided mindset with a sufficient desire to challenge it. I have learned that racism is pretty and nice words, not always an ugly front. I have learned that I am privileged to not have worries about finding a job because I know that someone is bound to hire me eventually- they would have no sufficient reason not to. I have endured hardship, but I have learned from other cultures, other societies, that I am beyond blessed to not have endured hardship in every aspect of my life.

America filled with American people alone will not endure. A white America is a fleeting America. A monolingual America is an isolated America. An America who loves things and uses people rather than the reverse is not a sustainable America.

An America filled with people of all nations will evolve and endure. A diverse America adaptable and a lasting America. A multilingual America is a connected America. An America who loves people and uses things is a sustainable and revered America.

So, world, know that we are striving to be the latter America. We are young and arrogant, but we are learning and will be humbled- we have to be. If you are seeking full and complete equality and acceptance in America, you will not find it. Not yet at least. But we would love to continue fighting for it alongside you. We do not believe your countries to be, "shitholes"- if anything we see our current country as such in part.

I am sorry for the hurt that we have caused you. I am sorry that there is only so much that I can do. I am sorry that I am represented by a leader who offers you very little respect if any at all. I am sorry that so many have been led astray to believe the vulgar words of such a supposedly honorable man. I am sorry that I have to be sorry, and that we have not progressed past such ugly words and beliefs. I am sorry, America, for not challenging you before now. I am sorry that you are being twisted and warped into something that you never wanted to be by power and greed and blatant narcissism.

We are one nation. We are not the world. We are not the standard. We are not a shithole. We are a teenager with a serious attitude problem. We are learning and growing and in need of a reality check, so do not give up on us. Our 45th step-dad, Donald, has told you some nasty things about us and has treated you pretty badly in our name. He treats us pretty badly sometimes too, and we cower under his threats, but he is not us. We are a country who wants to love, who wants to invite you in-despite Donald's protest- and we are finding a way to do so. SO please, please, do not give up on us lest we give up on ourselves and lose hope for a better future.