Through our anger, we will not submit to hate.
To Hillary, I’m sorry the United States has hated you in a way that most people could never recover from, let alone remain a public servant. Your perseverance will be your legacy, not the scandals or the loss of the 2016 election. You've forged an endless amount of opportunities for so many Americans. I hope you rest for a day or two, and I’m going to support you in whatever is next. I'll always be conflicted with so many parts of all of this, but I'll always support you.
For our women, please believe that it will be better soon. I wish I knew how to define “soon”, however, throughout the past year or so we have united, stood stronger, and educated in ways that have made progress at a speed I can barely comprehend. We cannot give up, however bruised we are at this moment.
To our children, I apologize. I made a decision not to have kids of my own because I can’t control the world they are brought into. Adoption, potentially, but not one of “my own”, and I believe most parents do everything within their ability to create a safe place for you to grow up, and our communities fill in the areas that the parent cannot. I’m sorry that you have to see us at our worst. We have to show you that we will be as good as you want us to be, and it’s scary out there right now. The only way I can make this right for you is making an oath that we’ll do better by you. I promise that we will work harder to create a world that is both safe and beautiful seven generations from today.
To those that are unfriending, it’s not the right thing to do. More than ever, we must unite through tough conversations. Greet every one of these situations with empathy and understanding to humanize your point of view. Pretending and avoiding won’t work. Hurtful speech won’t help.
To the colors of skin around me that aren’t like mine, I’m ashamed of my white privilege. I’m ashamed that you’ll take the biggest brunt of the negativity. Seeing the Latina and Somali elected officials offers me great hope, and I will rally around them to ensure we are supporting inclusivity.
To the religions that aren’t Christian, I don’t know how to make this better. I'm at a rock-solid standstill and seek guidance through those that have found their voice and use it to educate.
To my LGBTQ family, we cannot give up. We must have action and intent. Hate will not win, ever. We will not rest and we will be vigilant. Passivity is not an option.
To the LGBTQ youth, I want to hug each of you. I wish there was a way to make this OK because I can understand some of your fear. I swear this to you, I will continue to dedicate myself to making this better for you. To be who you are and not ruled by fear. We have told you that it gets better, and dammit, we cannot break our promise.
To myself, I must ideate on how to reinvigorate my passion for this country, a democracy, and differing beliefs. The root of so much of this can stem to education, so that’s where I will start. The pain is tangible, and my trust in our system has been ripped from me in ways that I didn’t think possible.
The time for action isn’t today. As our former mayor and community hero RT said, "We can be heartbroken but we can't afford to be broken. Remind yourself we have power together and soon it will be clear where to use it."
Our action will come when it’s ready. Today, we need to mourn.
Our hopes and dreams will return to us soon.