The morning of November 9th, after getting little to no sleep, I woke up to the news that Donald J. Trump would be the next President of the United States of America. There were a lot of questions going through many Americans’ minds all throughout the day. How could something like this have been allowed to occur?
As I looked across electoral maps of the various states and counties, I saw the country overwhelmingly voting red. This was a trend that occurred primarily in rural America, but it happened everywhere north, south, west, and east. Meanwhile, in the urban areas that these counties surround, Americans were voting overwhelmingly against Trump, for Hillary Clinton and the third party candidates. This contrast really struck a chord with me as I am someone who has lived primarily in those former rural counties, specifically in the south in the state of Texas.
What we are seeing is a definite and certain movement within the people living within America’s cities towards greater open-mindedness. This is exciting because it is occurring not only in the expectedly progressive coastal cities but also in southern and middle American cities. However, rural America takes up the most space in the country, and this is where the problem lies.
It can be easy for those living in the nation’s cities, surrounded by like-minded progressive and free thinkers, to forget that there are people fighting the good fight alone in seas of bigotry in rural America.
People of color and LGBTQ+ individuals living in these areas of the country feel the weight of being the minority perhaps more than ever. I can speak from experience in knowing the feeling of being one of the only Mexican-Americans in town or the only queer teen at the local high school. When those living around you demonstrate at the voting booth that they do not place value in protecting your civil rights, fear can become all too real.
The next four years may bring some of the most stern attacks on minorities that the United States has seen in years. It is up to those of us who believe in justice and freedom for all to take a stance against this. However, we must not only do this from the comfort of our own friend groups and neighborhoods where everyone thinks exactly the same as us. It is now critical to reach out to those who are living among people who may not have their best interests in mind.
Take a moment during your time on social media to connect to those who may be feeling afraid and alone out in rural areas during these upcoming years. Remind them that they are not alone and that there is a family nationally and internationally that will be working tirelessly to defend minorities in America. Now more than ever minorities need each other, whether it be people of color, women, or LGBTQ+ individuals, we must come together and remind each other of our strength.
