On Nov. 8, 2016, the United States held an election. This election was imperative to our future as a democratic nation and as one of the most influential countries in the world. It was not something to be joked about, and voters did not tread lightly on the implications of its outcome. In this election, we had two options: the opportunity to decide between two Americas, and two very different worlds that we wanted to be a part of.

One of these Americas was a world of change and opportunity. It was a progressive America, one that called for improving our society. It wasn’t perfect by a long shot, but it was an America that strived to do better, to be better. It was an America that made us hopeful for a better future. It was an America that, for the first time, elected a woman into one of the most important positions in the world. It was an America that was made by the people, for the people.

The America that we decided to live in was not this America. Instead, we voted to live in the America that elevates a select few and oppresses everyone else. We decided to live in an America that denies minorities their rights and turns away from those in need. It is an America that supports bigotry and discrimination. It is the America of the past, one that supports white supremacist sentiment and glorifies the white, middle-class male while retaliating in anger when any semblance of equality is mentioned.

It is an America that denies change, shies away from opportunity and perpetuates intolerance. It is an America where a man with virtually no political experience defeated a woman who was undoubtedly overqualified for the position.

This is the America that you chose to live in. This is the world that you decided you wanted to be a part of. Nothing horrifies me more than knowing that the population so willingly accepted the hateful rhetoric of a man who had no business running for president. I am dismayed that this man will take over one of the most important leadership positions on earth, a position that is supposed to be held by someone with intelligence, maturity and respect for both the domestic and international world.

I am disappointed that the man who is supposed to take care of our country is someone who only cares about himself. But more than anything, I am ashamed that so many people, people I considered to be allies, turned their backs on us and either voted for a man who stands for everything I am against, or turned to third parties or fill-in ballots because their symbolic protest was more important than the lives of the people around them. Nothing disturbs me more than knowing that a man whose entire campaign ran on intolerance and oppression was elected into office in a country that heralds itself as the pinnacle of freedom and equality.

The America that we chose is not the world I want to live in. In this world, I am told that my rights don’t matter. My livelihood, my family, everything that makes up who I am is degenerated into nothing. This is more than divisive political sentiment. This is about the morality and ethics of our country that were thrown away when we voted for a man whose policies contradict every modern agenda of racial justice, social justice, and reproductive rights. This is not an America that I can accept, and this is not my president.

But in the face of adversity, we will thrive. Our country has survived terrible wars and grave injustices, and it will survive this, too. For years, people have fought for our human rights. Now, it is our turn to fight for the rights of generations to come. In this time of sadness, we will become stronger. I may be disappointed in the outcome of this election, but I have also never been more motivated to be the proponent of change that our future president refuses to be. We will not be silenced or scared into submission by a man with a superiority complex and a bad spray tan.

So I call to you to take charge and, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, be the change you wish to see in the world. Not by lashing out in anger and violence, but by spreading love and compassion to each other even when the election denies you of any. Your apologies for letting this outcome unfold mean nothing, but your actions mean everything.

Last Tuesday, we had to decide between two Americas. We made a choice—now we can only wait and see what that decision entails.