As I scrolled through my Facebook feed during and after the election results, every post I went by represented another person aghast at what had just happened. I am absolutely disgusted. I am terrified for what lies ahead in domestic and international relations. I am terrified for my brothers and sisters that this man has repeatedly talked down on and threatened. However, I am glad that the people I choose to surround myself with do not support this bigot in any capacity. Not everything is wrong with the world, it's just overwhelmingly miserable. There is so much work to be done to recover from this horrible mistake. One of my favourite Chinese proverbs has become even more relevant in light of recent events. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

The day after the results came in, everyone was so quiet at school. It felt like someone had died. In fact, a lot of people did. Marginalised groups are grieving for their futures and for their loved ones who took their lives in fear of the future. The worst part is that so much more blood will be shed in the coming years. A big part of America’s hope, pride, justice, love, and bravery has died. We have the right to mourn. But a new day and a new era dawns with the new year. Progress can still be made. We have to stand up and fight back for those who cannot. This is a human issue that we can all come together for. Reach out and find the people and organisations that will love and support you. Reach out to enact long-lasting change. This isn’t just four years – this is for life. This is our wake up call. It should be abundantly clear now how disturbed our society is. Thousands of people are outraged.

I have lost track of how many times I’ve cried since the election results started rolling in. I’ll be walking down the sidewalk thinking of nothing in particular and suddenly feel the urge to lie down and cry and tears start rolling. This evening, I got out of my car and while I was getting my backpack out my door opened two more inches away from the car and came to rest against some man’s truck. It didn’t leave any sort of mark but he still got out and walked around telling me to “calm down.” I didn’t realise how scared I was until he got back in his truck, my car door was shut, and I was walking away when I started crying again without meaning to. We are entering an evolved age of fear.

I am a woman and Trump has called me a “disgusting animal.” However, there are many things he has not called me. I am a woman, but I am not LGBTQ+. I am a woman, but I am not a person of colour. I am a woman, but I am not Muslim. I am a woman, but I am not homeless. I am a woman, but I am not an immigrant. I am a “nasty woman,” but I am proud of it.

It is incredibly important to let your dissenting voices ring loud. Let them keep Trump awake at night by puncturing his bubble of bigotry. Stand in solidarity against the microaggressions and macroaggressions that have already begun happening. Do not contribute to The Great Oppression that is upon us. Spread knowledge, spread love, spread positivity in any way that you can but I implore you, do not let this struggle die.

WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!

RACIST, SEXIST, ANTI-GAY; DONALD TRUMP, GO AWAY!

SI, SE PUEDE!