Inauguration Day

Today's inauguration is a direct consequence of the grassroots movement that has been in the works for the past 4 years. We protested, voted, and I'd like to say we won, yet I can't get myself to type these three letters.

Yes, Trump is leaving the White House, and with him, the bigotry that infects all that he touches. Still, we live in a country where 40% of self-described Republicans approve of the terrorist attack on the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.

We live in a deeply divided country, where conversations on race, policing, feminism, immigration, school shootings, human and reproductive rights are off the table.

Silence only perpetuates pride, selfishness, and prejudice. Silence allows ignorance to slip by incognito. Silence permits hate to permeate the holiest of places.

This is why I speak up as often as I can. The challenge is not only speaking; it is also listening. I believe open dialogue is at the root of healing. If you believe your friendships cannot withstand conversations on society and oppression, then truly, I do not believe these friendships are serving your mutual growth. If you cannot tell your family how their enforced values and civic action/inaction impact you as a person, then are you being yourself around them?

If you are walking on eggshells when it comes to character affirming values such as equity, what kind of relationships are you nurturing. Eggshells are fragile and risk breaking at any moment for any reason. Are you nurturing fragile relationships? I say, put your relationships to the test.

The next American revolution will not be waged with firepower but around the dinner table. It will be one where we fight for our collective consciences. This war will not be easy, for in the information age, you can be manipulated without the slightest awareness.

This war will require critical thinking and philosophy. Above all, this war will require compassion. Can we develop a deep understanding for those around our dinner table? What do you need to have these conversations: mutual respect and letting go of your instinct to debate, the latter is the hardest part.

What can be won is tremendous. The greatest impact I've ever made was not protesting; it was after. I called someone crying and said, "I keep marching, and nothing seems to change." Their response was, "but you changed me. I think of race differently now."

I urge you not to get complacent, don't sweep your values under the rug for the next four years, thinking to yourself, we are fine. As we learned under Obama's tenure, our nation's sweeping turn into tornadoes of inhumanity, selfishness, falsehood, anti-semitism, condoned racism, and all the insanity we've witnessed under Trump.

Yes, take time to celebrate your work and Stacey Abrahams, yet the work is not over, and we must march on as we did during the women’s march 4 years ago.