Many Americans have been in shock with the results of the 2016 presidential elections and Donald Trump’s win as the new president of the Untied States of America. “Not My President” Anti-Trump protests have been held in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, Detroit, Philadelphia and Richmond, which are mainly areas where Hillary Clinton won the majority of votes. People have taken to the streets to practice their given right and express their rejection of Donald Trump as the president-elect, and protest against the violence occurring in mosques, churches, schools, universities and other public places.

I do not think the members of minority groups were prepared for the discrimination and attacks they would face with Donald Trump winning the elections. As a Muslim hijabi woman living in the United States, I was not prepared to read about my fellow Muslim sisters being held at gun point, robbed or being forced to take their hijab off. We were not prepared for children to be told by their teachers that they are eager for Muslims to be deported by Trump. We were not prepared for Muslim women to be afraid to wear the hijab out in public in fear of being attacked for her beliefs.

We were not prepared for hate crimes directed toward people of color and minorities to sweep the United States on the basis that this is now “Trump’s America” and we are no longer welcomed.

It is surprising and yet, upsetting to see how many “closeted” racists there are in America and who has now chosen to express their hate, along with the other discriminators. Rather than embracing the fact we held elections to vote our 45^th president for our country, that recently turned 240 years old and is one of the greatest superpowers in the world, we are acting out against our own citizens.

People of different beliefs and ideas, backgrounds and identities are no longer being welcomed nor respected by some. People of different gender, religion, race, ethnicity and sexuality are receiving hate for who they are. People fear their safety in a country that is supposed to be united and tolerant. We have become divided in respect and acceptance and that is a great issue, one that needs to be acknowledged and dealt with. Love trumps hate, do not discriminate. For strength in numbers and solidarity bring about great change, while hate and separation achieve less.