Last Wednesday around 5am, I woke up, looked at my phone to see the News Republic headline "Trump Wins Presidency". I took a deep breath, locked my phone, and began to sob. I want to make one thing crystal clear: I was not sobbing because Clinton lost. In all honesty, I didn't ever want Clinton as our president. I don't think my tears were even because of Trump. My tears were because I could feel my heart sink into my stomach as I thought about all those that would wake up to a whole new world of fear. My heart sunk as I thought about the openly gay guy I used to work with who has inspired me so many countless times. I thought about the girl from my high school who wears her feminism proudly on her sleeve. I thought about the Muslim girl I see on campus, always smiling and wearing a bright and beautiful hijab. I thought about my sister who has Cerebral Palsy. I thought about my past coworker, the lively, happy teddy bear who is proud of his Cape Verde Islands heritage. I thought about my best friend, who is passionate about the environment. I thought about all the illegal immigrants, who found this country as a safe haven from whatever they were running from. And I thought about myself, the passionate Social Worker who wants to help all those in the world that weren't given the opportunities I was. I thought of all this and I cried.

When I say all these things, I want to make sure everyone understands: if you voted for Trump I do not blame you. I understand. You felt his policies were best for this country, and that's fine. I do not think that every person who voted for Trump did so with the intentions of hurting these marginalized groups of people, in fact I believe many of you weren't able to see how it would impact these groups, or you were optimistic enough to think it wouldn't impact these groups. But it does. Even if Trump doesn't limit the rights of LGBTQ+ or "build the wall" or decrease funding toward environmental efforts, the fact that he was elected at all has hurt those people. We elected a man that mocked a disabled reporter and now we have made it okay to bully those different than us. We elected a man that has openly insulted people for their heritage and now we have normalized racism. We elected a man despite his lack of experience over a woman with decades of experience and now our daughters know that no matter what you do and how experienced you are, you are still not as capable as a man. We elected a man that has called for violence towards those who oppose his views and now we think it is okay to live in this echo-chamber and ignore everyone who thinks differently than us. We elected a man who's Vice President has supported conversion therapy and now we have turned homosexuality (and all the other letters) into a disease. We elected a man with multiple rape accusations against him and now women know that no matter what has happened to us, a man's life will go on, even if ours doesn't. We elected this man despite all these things, and maybe it is because we didn't realize the implications of this decision. Maybe it's because we are privileged. If you didn't once feel afraid because of this election, you are privileged. But don't read this and feel attacked, because being privileged is not a bad thing. Privilege turned into this insult and we need to stop feeling attacked when we are told that we are privileged. Instead feel blessed because that means you have the ability to help those that do not share your privilege.

We are the United States of America. We need to stop acting like this is us versus them. It's not. It's us working together to make it all work, because let's be honest, it won't work without us. In order for this to happen, Liberals, we need to stop blaming everyone who voted for Trump. That doesn't mean give up. Fighting for what you believe in is incredible, never give that up. But stop being violent, it is only causing a further divide. Stop fighting Trump and start fighting the systemic racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism and intolerance that put us in this position. And Conservatives, please stop acting like we are children for fighting for what we believe in. We aren't throwing "temper tantrums", we are fighting for those that feel like they can no longer fight; those that feel like their voices have been taken away. If you don't want to help us fight for them, you don't have to but please understand us and please stand by us in solidarity. Now is not the time to divide, now is the time to tolerate each other and stand together to try to fix this mess that this election has become. Now is our time to make sure those marginalized groups understand that they don't have to be afraid anymore, despite what this election may have them feeling. Now is our time, and we cannot give up on each other now.