Dear Santa Claus,
I know I may not have been positive or nice most of the time this year, but I still think I deserve a chance to be placed on the nice list instead of the naughty list. If you are generous enough to give me Christmas gifts this season, I have a few suggestions:
First, I would like my sanity back. I have been without it for a while, and my lack of stability is really taking a toll on my social life.
Second, I beg you to extend 24-hour days. How is it possible to be a full-time student via Zoom and a social justice advocate, among many other things, in the span of a 16-hour day at most?
Third, I ask for global warming to end. It is destroying our planet, and there are still so many ignorant people denying that it even exists.
Fourth, I ask for immigration policies to improve, and I ask for equity in this country — for all the stereotypes and racism to go away. The lack of resources in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities needs to be addressed as well.
Lastly, I plead for women to have the same rights as men: pay, jobs, opportunities, and everything in between. I also ask for child labor to stop. All over the world, children are denied the opportunity to educate themselves and are set to follow in their parent’s footsteps, often living a life of poverty and struggle.
This Christmas, I ask for a change. Prove that you are real and grant me at least one of these gifts this year. Oh, and I would also like some fuzzy socks.
Sincerely,
Tania Salceda