The days following the election results have been so genuinely vulnerable and tear-stained. Waking up after a restless four hours of sleep and attending classes, I felt heartbroken and hurt. I numbly attended classes, determined to not let the President Elect disrupt my normal routine or my education. All of my professors’ eyes were filled with same emptiness and confusion as mine, and I saw their own struggle to comfort their students with words of hope, light and love. Starting early in the day students began to gather with signs and march around campus chanting “A threat to justice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere” in the words of Martin Luther King Jr, and “Silence favors the Oppressors” and other words of political and social expression. Their frustration and sadness validated my own
Quickly we received an email from one of our professors announcing a public forum at one o’clock to talk about the election. I attended simply out of the desire and need to be around others. As I sat surrounded by easily 200 people or more, listening to people’s stories, fears, hopes, anger and desperation I cried not only out of my own negative feelings but about how much love was in the room. Despite hysterical tears and jarring words it was so incredibly breathtaking to see how many people stood united in a moment that felt so divisive and devastating. As tears poured down my cheeks, and soaked my sweatshirt sleeves I felt my tears join with those around me and felt an inherent inkling of inspiration. I saw a tiny shred of candlelight began to illuminate what had previously felt like an insurmountable darkness. In my heart I knew that from tears and devastation we will rise.
As the day went on, messages of love, unity and kindness began to cover our sidewalks. Papers saying “Love Trumps Hate” and “Stronger Together” and "Spread Peace and Love" began to line stairwells and doors. Perhaps most beautifully, this year my school put a Peace Pole in honor of International Peace Day. Shortly into the day on a chair in front of the Peace Pole and the tree behind it, were markers and little tags with instructions to write messages of love and hope. Soon the tree was covered with colorful tags and twinkling lights, warming my soul and making me smile on a day when all I felt I had the ability to do was cry.
So, despite my inability to focus and my ever-changing emotions I have truly found a sense of home, comfort and warmth here at Pacific. Through open, willing and challenging conversations I have heard so many people expressing different opinions. In no way do I attempt to claim that Pacific is perfect--we of course struggle and deal with conflicting and challenging opinions but I do happily make the claim that Pacific constantly strives to create a safe space for all people. We do not all agree with the election results, there were those who happily supported Trump and those who did not, but we truly worked to make sure everyone was respected, safe and welcome. We are not perfect, but no family is. So thank you Pacific--from all of the inspiring professors, to CPS to every single member of staff and faculty-- for working with us during this tumultuous week. Thank you for bringing me out of isolation and wrapping me up in words of comfort.
