This week was dark for many of us. On the morning of Tuesday, November 8th there is no way I thought America would hate again. From what the media portrayed and from what I thought was common sense, I believed with all of me that she would win. As the numbers started to come in at 8 p.m., he already had the upper hand. I was going through so many emotions at the same time, it was excruciating.
Around 2 a.m., when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I cried myself to sleep alone in my apartment. I woke up, not too long after, to learn that America elected “the other guy.” I couldn’t breath and when I realized that I wasn’t breathing I tried really hard to take deep breaths. It wasn’t working. I started shaking as I tried to look for my phone to call someone, and it’s like my mother knew as she called me. She was up, thank god she was up. She told me to calm down and take deep breaths and eventually I was fine.
I had a panic attack. That never happened to me before. I grew up in a third world country where I’ve witnessed the power of a hungry and angry population. I almost got kidnaped more than once, I’ve been close to gunshots and I survived a devastating earthquake yet, I have never feared for my life more than when a racist and sexist person was elected to rule this country.
People have been saying that they’ll leave the country, and I was one of them. Going back to Haiti is an option for me and I’ll be happy there because it’s my home and I know what to expect. America is my home too now. New York is my home. I didn’t realize how much I had gotten attached to this place until he was elected president. I may not be a citizen but I am a resident who is willing to fight for this country. I have family members here and I made friends that I never wish to lose. That guy being president does not mean that he won. Racism, ignorance and sexism did not win. Some of us had forgotten that those kind of people were here and how divided America is.
This is a message from me to you, black people, women, Latinos, Muslims, LGBTQ+, handicaps and all the people this man and his supporters have offended and threatened. We have lost nothing because now, our enemy is staring at us and we all know what to do. We keep doing what we have been doing for so many years which is to make our voices heard and never, ever, ever, ever stop fighting for what is right. Do not give up on your home, you family, members and your friends. Most importantly, do not give up on yourself!
You matter! I don’t give a crap what that man says – you are worth fighting for. Please, never stop believing that.
What now? Love still trumps hate.
Now we keep fighting. We will not cry. We will stand up; we will scream and tear the walls of discrimination down. The generations before us have done it. We learned from what they did and didn’t do. Let’s keep learning and let’s get out there.
Remember that you matter and are destined to be great.