donald trump is president.

It’s a meme, “I’m just a girl,” but I am just a girl. And what will I do with that power?

At the start of writing this, I was stumped, thinking about how this could happen to us. How have we led ourselves to the demise of our goals and aspirations in a country that defines itself and prides itself in such freedom and equality? The idea and sanctity of the “American Dream” truly does not exist anymore for anyone.

I was stumped. Do the people around me not care about me? Do the people around me not know what will be undone? The people that will be hurt? The women, the immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC folk, and all minorities.

Continuously stumped. Having read messages and posts from friends, I was drawn to think about my past self. I was drawn to the ideas that were instilled in me as a young child. “The future is full of whatever you make it,” “The future is you.” I was thinking about the little girl I used to be. The little girl who had hopes and dreams and aspirations. The girl that I still am. I am that same little girl. But I am also no longer.

I am a woman of my own and one who will stand defending those who can’t, for those who are put into situations where their bodily autonomy is taken, safety disabled, and their rights forsaken.

This is a calling. This is a calling for everyone who believes in what is right for our country. PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER. The livelihood of others IN DANGER. This is more than the economy, this is more than the job market, this is more than YOU. This is INDIVIDUALISM that is DIVIDING and THREATENING the SAFETY of our people and the country; individualism which thrives on the basis of devaluing, demoralizing, and dehumanizing.

This is a calling. One that we need to fend for. This is not the end. Voting is one thing. There is also value and importance in getting out in your community. Establishing safe spaces. Bringing folks together who hold the same morality and values. Pushing back against, and focusing on what CAN and WILL be done going forward.

That little girl I was, the woman I have become, and the woman I will be depends on the now: what I, what we, the community, and what society will do to establish a safer environment for all.

That little girl has hopes as much as any other. The woman I am has hopes as much as any other, and with that hope, we fight back. It does not stop here. Being pessimistic is not an option, nor does it help. It’s the optimism within one, within us, that brings together our hopes, our fights, and our courage to stand up for what is right.

I AM just a girl, the same little girl in the picture, and with that, alongside many others, I will change the world.