Earlier this week marked the official one year since the election of Donald Trump into the Oval Office. We asked our ADEP team and SLI’17ers to reflect on the tumultuous 365 days it has been since that election day.
My life has become very challenging since Trump was elected. I’m finding myself questioning my relationships and trust with non-people of color, which has made me uneasy. I’m constantly thinking if they’re racist, if their parents voted for Trump… what they REALLY think of me.
My relationship with people of color, however, has really grown as I am finding a new sense of community with them. I always felt that another person of color’s struggle was my struggle, but now I’m really fighting for them. These shifts in emotions I am experiencing are a direct result of Trump’s presidency and his choices for his administration. I’m a lot more outspoken against bigotry, a lot more supportive of other people’s struggles, a lot angrier at life, and yet, a lot more hopeful for the future.
Overall, although I am somewhat optimistic, this past year has been horrible when I think about the political climate and what it means for me; a woman, person of color, and daughter of immigrants. – Susan Zaca, SLI’17
This has been a very difficult year. I’m scared to travel to certain parts of this country, scared to speak up in certain environments, and fearful for my family and other people of color. On the flip side, I am also hopeful. With the Democrats winning VA and NJ this past Tuesday, I know that come 2020, we will overcome hate. This election brought out the worst of America, but it apparently is what we needed to shake up the silent majority. All in all, I am scared for tomorrow, but hopeful and optimistic for the long run. – Gina Karimi, SLI’17
I woke up on November 8, 2016 thinking it was going to be a historic day. I remember contemplating to myself ‘What am I gonna post when the first woman President of the United States is officially elected?’ – I mean, I was excited. I was geeking out that Election Day and my birthday was on the same day. Little did I know I was about to enter one of the most influential years of my life. America chose to elect an individual who openly harasses women and bans individuals who identify themselves like myself. This isn’t what I thought America was.
I really can’t describe this past year. It felt like I entered a different world. I used to read articles every night but stopped immediately after Trump was elected. It was all just too much. I entered a state of denial and to be honest I don’t think I’m fully out of it. I created a bubble for my own mental health. But with push notifications and constant tweets, I’m reminded of the harsh reality.
What I can say is I’ve seen the resilience of America. Life goes on. As Obama has said, “the sun will rise tomorrow.” The America that we thought existed is still there but the American Dream our families sought out isn’t going to be given to us–we have to work at it. Because of Trump, my passion to make America the place I was taught to think it was, became a reality. – Lida Azim, ADEP Board
This past year has been incredibly deflating. I thought we had made progress in this country; that the blood, sweat, and tears people have shed to build a more inclusive, understanding country, was actually just a failure. I thought we had, for the most part, moved on from the explicit and vile forms of racism to fighting “micro” aggressions and more of an understated bigotry we found from well-meaning folks. I thought there would always be one or two people in a crowd being resistant. I was wrong. And I’m honestly at a loss because I don’t know what will work when there are people who will simply deny facts and deny reality, yet hold so much power. I have no idea how to reach those people, because folks have been trying for decades and it feels like nothing works. I’ll still keep working and trying to make this place better because that’s all I know, but I am definitely not as optimistic about it as I once was. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to stay motivated and get back to the drawing board and learn from the brilliant people we have in our community to continue to build and grow power from within. As Jasmine Abdullah from BLM-Pasadena told us at SLI’17, “keep talking, even if no one is listening.” We have to keep pushing even when we might feel like all the odds are against us. We have to. That’s what we have always known and what we will continue to do. – Omar Aziz, SLI’17
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