In light of the last few days’ events in this country, there are quite a few groups of people who are feeling put out by our new president. Thirteen executive orders have been signed to date affecting everyone from women with the ban on funding for Planned Parenthood to Native Americans with the Dakota Pipeline order and most recently immigrants with the Immigration Ban. Most if not all of President Trump’s executive orders are examples of horrifying bigotry and some are even unconstitutional. President Trump has been on a downhill slide to alienate as many people as he possibly can that do not fit into his idea of a “great” America.

But do not lose hope. Do not forget that as many people that voted for President Trump and stand with him, despite his tyranny, you still have people that stand with you too. You have neighbors, friends and families on your side too. You have always mattered and you still matter. BLACK people MATTER. LGBTQ+ people MATTER. MUSLIM people MATTER. IMMIGRANTS MATTER. WOMEN MATTER. REFUGEES MATTER. NATIVE AMERICANS MATTER. YOU MATTER.

President Trump is doing nothing but tearing innocent families apart that have done nothing wrong. All the while President Trump is only making enemies for himself. Even his own supporters are regretting casting their votes, though there is no turning back now. Forward motion into this “great” America is beginning as dismal as many already knew it would be. But this “orange cheeto puff,” (Kenya Hunter), can sign as many executive orders as he wants. Executive orders do not and cannot take away the worth of the people that we place upon ourselves. President Trump does not determine our worth to each other. Love does. As long as we love each other and stand with each other President Trump cannot defeat us. We will continue to stand with our oppressed brothers and sisters no matter the color of your skin, the God you pray to, the country you were born in, or who you chose to love. Your VOICE matters. Your STORY matters. Your LIFE matters. Your FAMILY matters. Your RIGHTS matter! You deserve to have the rights that every other American has no matter the differences that separate us and WE STAND WITH YOU! We will not allow this “cheeto puff,” (Kenya Hunter) to take away the rights that you deserve. We will not be silenced! We will not stop until we are equal in all ways!

You matter. Do not ever forget that.

The hypocrisy and tyranny from the Trump administration that we have witnessed in the last several days is only a fraction of what is to come and like many of my friends I have no sympathy for those that voted for President Trump but now regret their choice. You knew this would happen. Donald Trump blatantly said that he would go after certain groups during his campaign, and yet you voted for him anyway. As my classmate stated on Facebook this morning, “This is your fault.” (Kenya Hunter)