For the past two weeks, I have felt an overwhelming sense of dread. Since Jan. 20, I feel like I haven’t been able to open my phone without seeing an absolutely deplorable statement or action from our current president. Whether it’s a new executive order that’s attempting to override the Constitution or attacks on communities that apparently only succeed because of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, it seems like everyday, I can add another tally mark on the list of unpresidential things our current president has said and done. 

While I could spend hours talking, and typing, about my feelings on the current political state of our country, I’d like to switch my attention to us, the people dealing with this. It’s incredibly easy to only look at the big picture, things we can’t really control, and forget to think about the things we can control in difficult times like these. 

From conversations I’ve had and conversations I’ve seen develop online, it seems like people are already giving up. People are sharing that they don’t know how they’ll get through these next four years, they’re afraid of what’s happening to our country, they’re waiting for irreparable damage to be done. No matter what people say or how they phrase it, there’s this general theme that everything is over for our country. I reject that statement, and you should too.

It is clear that our current leadership does not care about the American people, not even those who voted for him. It’s safe to say that our president lacks empathy and will likely never care about how his actions affect his constituents. However, that does not mean we should just give up, that we should just accept what’s happening to us and not speak up or attempt to do anything about it.

You’re probably thinking, “Lauryn, what could I possibly do to stop fascism from permeating through the White House?” which is a valid question. To that I would answer by telling you to do what you can for yourself and your community. If you’re disgusted at the current mass deportation plan and the presence of ICE in local communities, join a “Know Your Rights” campaign. Make sure your local immigrant communities know that there are people around them that care for them, and make sure they know what ICE can and cannot do. If you’re terrified for members of the LGBTQ+ community in your life, make sure they know you support them and help them figure out how to best protect themselves during this administration. If you’re worried about reproductive rights, make sure the people in your life are educated on Virginia’s law regarding abortion and other reproductive care. 

There are so many groups that need your help and support, so who are you to give up? You can’t give up on them and you certainly can’t give up on yourself, so don’t let the darkness clouding our democracy make you think you have no power.

We can’t change the past. The United States voted and this was the result, while it may not be the result I or millions of other Americans wanted, it’s the result we’re left with. It seems as though these next four years will last a lifetime and introduce more hate, insecurity, and danger into our nation and that scares me. But in moments like these, we can’t let fear take over, we have to keep moving forward and figure out what we can do to slow the spread of hate, while simultaneously doing what we can to make our most vulnerable feel safe and cared for. 

It’s going to be a long, tough four years, but we can’t fall complacent, we can’t give up.