Marginalized Communities. According to Reference.com, a marginalized community is a group that’s confined to the lower or peripheral edge of the society. Such a group is denied involvement in mainstream economic, political, cultural, and social activities. This can deprive a group of its rightful share of reach to productive resources and ways to utilize its maximum potential for prosperity. All in all, it’s directed at groups who are seen to differ from perceived norms. What are these ‘perceived norms’? How do we know what these norms are? It’s different for everyone. How can we truly know what they are?

Even after recent events with the Presidential Election and him taking office, those people who are feeling marginalized are now terrified. NO, they are petrified of the years to come. This just doesn’t stop with the LGTBQA+ community or undocumented immigrants, but also people who are low-income individuals and individuals who are deemed “mentally incompetent”. People seem to forget that there are people terrified. They are terrified to leave their homes. It’s bad enough that people on social media are complaining and making discriminating remarks, but once their foot leaves their home, they are attacked. Both physically and verbally.

Reports of hate crimes post-election are growing. “The police department revealed today that he city has witnesses a 115% increase in bias crimes” (observer.com). Ten days after the election there have been reports of harassment and intimidation that has speed through the crushed hearts of terrified individuals. According to splcenter.org, “incidents by type ranked by number of reports include: Anti-immigrant (206), anti-Black (151), anti-LGBT (80), swastika vandalism (60), anti-Muslim (51), and anti-women (36).” TEN DAYS AFTER!! Only ten days after the election, hate crimes are sky rocketing.

Social exclusion is the process in which individuals or entire communities of people are systematically blocked from, or even denied, full access to various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different group, and which are fundamental to social integration within that group. Most of America is part of a certain marginalized community. People in low income families are afraid that they are not going to be able to provide a good education to their kids. The LGTBQA+ community are scared because our vice president is a supporter of conversion therapy. Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are living in fear of being ‘shipped back’ to their country. People with mental disorders are getting harassed for being ‘different’.

We have different people that live here. People of all different races, sexual orientation, religions, and many more. And now most people are afraid of leave their homes. It’s sad really.

“America is another name for opportunity”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson.