I’m an international student who entered the United States with a bag full of hopes that I would escape the social evils prevalent in my country now that I am in the land of opportunity. Well, it is safe to say that my hopes and dreams have been "Trump-ed."

Racism, misogyny, homophobia, white supremacy, Islamophobia — these are all real, and Donald Trump is a product of the above. When a man who has been accused of rape, tax evasion, racial attacks, bragging about sexually harassing women is put in a position of power, you know as a country you have majorly screwed up. You know you screwed up when there are protests happening in front of the White House, when you wake up to posts like “R.I.P. America” and “Ashamed of being an American citizen” by the very people who once proudly showed off their citizenship. You know you have screwed up when people who dreamed of moving to the States, second-guess their decisions. When thoughts like, “I thought I had it bad in my country” cross our minds. When we wake up feeling unsafe in our own skin.

Are we to live peacefully and go about our lives normally when it has been proved that the better half of this country doesn’t believe I should have rights? Doesn’t believe that LGBTQIA rights are imperative? That Black lives fucking matter? That rape and sexual harassment makes you a criminal? That religious, gender and racial discrimination in this day and age is appalling?

When, instead of moving forward and creating history, we have placed the future of a superpower and thus the rest of the world in the hands of an unqualified advocate of white male privilege, one who is barely fit to be a decent husband or father.

Is this what you wanted, America? To turn time back instead of moving ahead?

Are these the kind of values we want our future generations to imbibe? To allow them to believe that one can get away with degrading women, cheating hardworking people just by the virtue of being born in a position of privilege?

For all those who took this election as a joke or wanted to “watch the world burn,” I hope you are thoroughly satisfied because you achieved your goal. The world is burning and you’re in the midst of that inferno. We placed too much faith in humanity and sensibility of the people of this nation, and it has been shattered.

Using humor to deal with this situation isn’t understandable or an acceptable defense mechanism anymore because this is reality and this reality is fucking scary. Especially for any human being who isn’t cis, white and male, it is a terrifying reality. Being a woman of color in America and worse, a republican state makes me feel unsafe. I feel unsafe for myself, my African-American, gay, lesbian, trans, Muslim, Mexican, immigrant friends and all those who "dare" form a minority group in this country. The majority, thank you for letting us know that we can’t count on you to keep us safe when it is most critical.

In times like these, solidarity is all we have. This morning I woke up to gloomy faces and dampened spirits across campus. However, despite the terrible reality looming over us like a dark shadow, we were organizing, coming together in support through social media and smiles, letting all those at the worse end of the spectrum know that we will not sit quietly and accept our fate. This is our fight, it is time for us to stand together against all the forces of oppression that threaten to bring us down, that threaten our lives and those of our loved ones. Find those that need support and let them know you stand with them. Hold hands, speak up against the issues that burn your soul and spread love because in the end that is the only force that can trump hatred. Restore the lost faith in humanity because we will not and cannot let a man so incompetent and his supporters so unsound invalidate our existence and everything that we stand for. Wake up America, because it is now or never.