Dear America,

Has it been a year already?

I don’t know about you, but for me, November 8th, 2016, felt like one of the longest nights of my life. I’d spent all day anxiously watching as the votes came rolling in, cringing every time Trump took another state. At 5:30p.m, I ran to cast my vote, taking pride in potentially voting for the first female President of the United States. 

Once home, I situated myself in front of the television, preparing for the long night that would change America forever.  Despite CNN’s desperate attempts to reassure us that there was no way Trump was winning this, the reality soon began to set in. Tears ran down my face. How could we have let this happen?

So America, after the marches, and the tweets, the travel ban, the international threats, the consistent bullying, and the ever-increasing American divide, where are we now? 

Now the least popular president in America’s history, in the past year Trump has only created more chaos and confusion. 

Remember his multiple attempts at that horrific and unconstitutional Muslim travel ban? Well, that was shot down by the courts. Or how about his order to stop transgender troops from serving in the military? That was blocked by a federal judge. Oh! Oh! What about “The Wall”? Wasn’t Mexico supposed to pay for that? Because I’m pretty sure I can still hear President Enrique Peña Nieto laughing about it. Dare we even discuss the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act? Even his own party voted against that one.    

Since taking office, Trump has continued to defend his “win” and lash out at anyone who speaks out against him, including members of his own administration—which, by the way, is starting to feeling like a season of Survivor, its members are dropping out so quickly. Remember Michael Flynn, the National Security Adviser, or Steve Bannon, the White House Chief Strategist, or Sally Yates, the US Deputy Attorney General, oh, and James Comey, the FBI Director? Yup: all fired.  

Are you tired of hearing Putin’s name yet? Is it not clear yet that Russia definitely tampered with the election, was in contact with the Trump family, and may possibly be manipulating the opinions of Americans en masse through the use of social media?  

Trump has struck down DACA, causing cruel and inhuman pain to hundreds of thousands of individuals who came to America as children, and who are now being faced with the threat of deportation. Yet he seems to have had no time to introduce that sweeping infrastructure or economic plan he promised, and the idea of tax cuts for all but the richest Americans is nothing more than a dream.

So, America, where are we now? Perhaps a little bruised, a little banged up, but I hope a little wiser. I hope our eyes have been opened to the hate, racism, and bigotry currently pervading our nation. I hope this has been been a wake-up call and will result in a demand for transformation. Although Trump has manifested very little change and progress in this last year, what he has created is unity and resistance. This, and this alone, is something that we should be proud of. 

So buckle up, citizens: there are only 1166 days to go until this American Horror Story comes to an end, and I’m sure it’ll be bumpy ride. 

May the odds be ever in your favor.