Dear Friends,

I want to start off by congratulating all those who read this and voted for Trump. I am glad you feel as though there is someone in our government representing your beliefs and values. It is at this time I am aware of the privilege with having government officials that reflect your shared beliefs. As a Hillary supporter, I want to clarify that I do not hate you; I do not think you are stupid, and I do not blame you for having different beliefs than me. However, I still believe Donald Trump was not the best choice. I probably will continue to think this way (unless he has a personality transplant), and if you ever want to explain why you think differently, I will be happy to listen. You are entitled to your opinion, and although we might not agree, I value that we live in a world where we can have such diverse opinions.

For the rest of my frustrated friends, I sympathize with you. This year was a lot of first for us. First time going to college, first time voting, and first time being disappointed in an election. When I woke up early that Wednesday morning, I couldn’t believe how much security I had attached with having a president I supported. I felt terrified; and not just for myself but for my friends, my friends who are Muslim, those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, those who are or have family that are immigrants, those who are minorities, and all those who have felt attacked during this election season. It felt like all the progress I saw our country make could taken away within one night. Going through my Facebook feed on Wednesday was like watching a breakup scene happening to everyone I knew over and over again; it was devastating to watch. In hopes someone would find the silver lining in all of this, I searched for all my favorite celebrities’ and tv personalities’ tweets and posts reacting to the election. It was less than comforting to know that even my idols were having an equally bad day as I was. All I could keep thinking was, what now? Most of the world was preparing for Hillary’s administration. Even Trump’s supporters were surprised with the victory. The unexpected results even left Hillary widely unprepared for the loss as well. It took her till the following day at 11:30 AM to have a concession speech ready—a speech I proudly cried at.

I felt it most when I discovered Hillary’s planned victory location was to be held in the Javits Center in New York, which has one of the largest glass ceilings in the city. In an instant, I saw the gender barrier staring me straight in the face. Despite whom you voted for, I think most can agree it would have been wonderful to see a women become president. It would have been wonderful for my grandma to see a women president in her lifetime, or my little sister to see that even girls can be presidents, or me to see that people could judge me based on my character, not my gender. Although in reality, many did vote for and against Hillary solely on her character, I know some felt her gender was enough proof to keep her out of office.

As a result of the disappointment, I urge you, especially my millennial friends, to not lose hope and begin to accept the loss. Donald Trump will be our president and there is very little we can do to change that. Having this in mind, this should not silence your beliefs. I encourage you to continue to support your values (no matter who you voted for) because the more people are exposed to different opinions the more diverse our country becomes. We need to educate each other and our families about the issues that mean most to us, and hopefully our government will reflect accordingly. As a millennial that voted for the first time, please do not become discouraged with your first disappointment. Participating in government is a privilege; do not throw it away in frustration. Your voice matters, let this election be your fuel to continue to fight for a better America; you owe that to yourself and to your country.

Sincerely,

Katie Zatyko