In the wake of the election, I have seen two kinds of people: those that are in fear, and those that are ready to "make America great again," but no matter who you voted for, one thing is crystal clear: this election has given all of America a "you against me" mentality, and before we all start pointing fingers at the opposing team and placing blame, let's focus on what matters now because now more than ever, we need to stand united as Americans.

What America needs now is....

To bridge the gap....

I have seen relationships, friendships, and even family members disagree so venomously over who they were voting for that they have stopped speaking to eachother. Reach out to eachother, be kind to one another, and swallow some pride. An election is never worth losing someone you love over.

Understand the opposite side, please....

I keep seeing a lot of "get over it" and "how dare you vote for him!" posts on my social media. The fact of the matter is while it may sting for some and feel fantastic for others, no one will grow without taking a moment to sit and listen to the opposing view. I know that a lot of people have begun to generalize why someone would vote either way, and that is not giving anyone a fair shake on things. The more we place blame, the more divided we will become, and that is not what America is about.

Protect those that are scared....

After the election, women, immigrants, Muslims, people of ethnic backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQ community became fearful for their well-being and lives. Two trans teenagers have sadly ended their lives in fear of what a Trump presidency may mean for them. Sadly, violence has already begun to occur, and while this violence has definitely been negative on both sides, it is SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT that our fellow neighbors, no matter their creed, race, or religion know that we as Americans are behind them. Violence is never the answer, and no one should ever have to live in fear in their own country.

Unity is key....

Whether you have voted Trump, Hillary, or third party, at the end of the day, we are all Americans. The only way to end this cycle of hate and division is to keep reaching out to others, to keep showing eachother love, and to look deeper into the issues at hand; never take what the media gives you at face value. This is our time to show eachother that we are more than what the media makes us out to be. We need to see eachother for who we really are, and not for who we voted for. Fear, hatred, and animosity will only kill us all.

If you or someone you know is battling depression following the election, please reach out. Yo are not alone.

http://www.glbthotline.org/

http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.cyberbullyhotline.com/

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/