A Week Later... (post-birthday/election day post)

I have tried to write this post a couple of times over the past week and each time I return to it, I change its direction. When I first starting writing this post, I focused on my birthday coinciding with (and being overshadowed by) a historic election (yes, my birthday is November 8 and will be a future Jeopardy question). Then it morphed into a post-election/birthday post that centered around the lessons learned from the first election I ever lost which was in fifth grade. Now, I am going in a different direction after having had time to sit with my thoughts a week into my 39th year.

As an educator, a parent, and a person times like this pull you in so many directions. It would be an understatement to say that this Presidential election has elicited a lot of strong feelings across the political spectrum, across the country, and across the world.

As an educator, I need to be able to show up for each of my students, support them, respect their perspectives, listen to them, guide them through a time where people are feeling divided, and give them each a place to feel safe and the space to talk.

As a parent, I have to protect and care for my child. I have to gauge how much awareness he has of the current climate in this country, provide him with answers to his questions, respond to any realities he may face along the way, and instill hope in his heart.

As a person. I worry about my family, my students, my country, and myself. Is this about the election? Yes and no. It is not about being disappointed or elated about the results. It's about the underlying sentiments that seem to be rising up as a result of rhetoric used over the course of the campaign and how people seem emboldened to commit discriminatory and hateful acts towards marginalized groups because they now feel like it's more socially acceptable. We all know that America's history is fraught with a lot of tough and ugly times (we are not alone in this). There has been a lot of progress made and rights fought for, but where we still struggle is with everyone being made to feel that they truly belong. As a person, I worry about those I care about and about whether any of the incidents that I have been hearing and reading about from across the country (including in surrounding towns) will happen to me. I'm a black woman whose father is an immigrant. I know that at any point in time I can face challenges based on this and so I chose not to live my life scared, hiding, or by making myself small. I chose to live my life being proud of who I am and of my history and heritage. However, the bias-motivated threats and incidents seem to be on the uptick since the election and it is personally unsettling. Women being harassed and grabbed. Swastikas being sprayed painted on homes, cars, and buildings. Racial slurs being spewed. People being told to go back to "their country" or that they are going to be deported. People threatening to take away the rights of others. I could go on, but I will stop there. Sometimes it just becomes a lot to carry and just weighs heavily on my heart. I also know that I can't live each day of my life in fear of the unknown or of the possibility of being targeted and victimized. I will believe in the goodness of most people. I will stare down hate and bigotry. I will be kind. I will act. I will hope. I will teach. I will love. I will be compassionate. I will have faith. I will listen. I will stand for what I believe in. I will stand up for others. I will use my voice. And I will rise.