Our 45th POTUS has been elected and it is time for us to stand up for what we feel is right and move progressively towards creating the country that we dream of living in. It is not a time to run from our problems or our country, rather an opportunity to utilize the power we are granted as college educated women. As millennials, we cast our vote, made our voices heard, and now hold tremendous responsibility.
The time is now to tell our children, the children around us, and our younger peers who look up to us, that love still trumps hate – always. We are still strongest together.
The time is now to remind those children that they are equal to every one of their peers, that every single one of them, no matter what color, deserve all and the same. Bullying, name calling, and lying will never be acceptable and neither will be mocking anyone living with a disability.
The time is now to tell our daughters that it is never okay to be spoken badly about, to be touched, kissed, grabbed, called or yelled to, by any man – even if he is “powerful” or “important.” We must teach and remind them that it is not permissible for anyone to disrespect their body in any way nor is it anyone else’s place to make their medical decisions for them. Tell them about representation and the Senate and women breaking through glass ceilings there. Let it inspire them.
The time is now to join hands with our brothers and sisters who have been violated in any such ways mentioned and in countless others as well. Now more than ever we must protect and support them as a society. It is our duty to ensure that they get the justice they deserve and are validated and strengthened by our society’s values and morals.
The time is now to explain to the younger generation that they don’t have to be afraid, even if we ourselves are afraid, but that we will protect them and fight for them. Tell them how there are many powerful people who care so much about them. They deserve to know that not everyone shares ideals of hate and that they need not worry – kindness always wins.
The time is now that we as women join together more fiercely than ever before to fight for all things right, from the workplace to the bedroom, from the doctor’s office to the classroom. We must plan and organize so that our feminism is redefined, transcends and reaches new heights.
The time is now to praise women taking up space, speaking up, being masculine, successful, authoritative, and unapologetic. Nasty women shall continue to unite proudly in the glory of all things Donald J. Trump criticized and denounced.
The time is now to use whatever privilege we may have been granted, may it be as white, middle class, straight, or male citizens, or a combination of these characteristics, to join in solidarity with those who experience more hardships here in America. May we use our privilege and our voices to echo those in LQBTQ+, Latino, black, and disabled communities.
The time is now to use our power as “media makers,” artists, and visionaries to constantly and ruthlessly question, highlight, and publicize all that is good and evil in our government. Let us use our words, our pens, our intellect, and always our compassion and love to unite humanity whether we agree with the majority or not.
The time is now to exercise our constitutional rights, to give Trump hell, and to provide constant checks and balances in a time that the House of Representatives and Senate are hard to identify with. As we return to our pre-election states of anxiety, we must remember that neither a president nor our country define us and our values. We must reflect on the national decision that has been made and what it says about us as a society. Then we evaluate this through our own lens and approach with vigilance and fearlessness.
The time is now to believe, as Hillary Clinton so courageously stated, that “you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and to achieve your own dreams.”
“Never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.” -HRC
Please, if there is anything I left out or any other action that we are called to, contact old-westbury@hercampus.com. We strive to be inclusive and many individuals and groups have been victimized throughout this election. We don’t want to leave anything out.