Este blog esta en Ingles & Español. | This blog is bilingual
Dulce: (in English)
Many things came out of this election cycle: me developing crushes on all the MSNBC correspondents, intense sleep deprivation, and most importantly patience. Every day felt like I was gasping for air as I scrolled through Twitter and constantly refreshed The New York Times app. Suddenly, I became a statistics wizard and I would find myself adding electoral votes and percentages in my mind as I was cooking. Not only that, but I also became the official news correspondent for my family. I would send long paragraphs analyzing each state and their likelihood to vote one way or another. How would I relax? I took breaks from the MSNBC live stream to do history homework– it does not get any more depressing than that.
That Saturday I woke up and was getting ready for the day listening to the usual morning playlist. Then my phone buzzed. I saw The New York Times notification- the election was over and we had a winner. I learned a while back about the pitfalls that come along with idolizing politicians. While Biden was not my first choice in the primaries, waiting for his and Kamala’s acceptance speeches felt like something akin to New Year's Eve.
I excitedly waited for those final moments of excitement and somehow extremely depressed knowing that tomorrow would be a regular day.
Yet, for the smallest moment, there was a moment of blind comfort that maybe things would be ok. I don’t know if it was the sleep deprivation or the results, but that night was the best sleep I had in a long time. I'm kidding it was of course the fact that I was a zombie.
The next day I woke up refreshed and dedicated my day to reposting and informing myself on the Georgia runoff races (IF YOU ARE A GEORGIA RESIDENT PLEASE VOTE IN THIS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT*). Sure, there was a small victory, but there was still so much work left to do. Mobilization is something that should happen beyond election cycles. Be informed on the issues, donate to organizations or campaigns that share your values, and most importantly vote. If you do not want to feel like your rights are being threatened at the possible change of administrations, make sure your voice is being heard before it’s too late. It's like taking a test, you can't cram everything the night before.
I don't expect the next four years to be easy, because no administration is. Every president goes through so many unexpected events that they possibly can’t be prepared for. However, I do have hope that we can progress forward in a positive direction.
Andrea: (En Español)
Esta elección presidencial de 2020 ha sido una montaña rusa de emociones para mí personalmente. No soy nativa de los Estados Unidos, nací en Centroamérica y vine a los Estados Unidos a la edad de 11 años. Mi país de origen siempre ha sufrido diferentes climas políticos y crecí bajo los efectos de una guerra civil que dejó a mi país natal en devastación y es una de las razones por las que mi familia y yo nos fuimos en busca de una mejor oportunidad en la vida.
A lo largo de mi vida como inmigrante aquí en los EE.UU., nunca tuve realmente una voz cuando se trataba de asuntos políticos dado que Estados Unidos tiene un sistema en el que sólo un cierto grupo de personas privilegiadas tienen el derecho de hacerlo. Después de 17 años de buscar la ciudadanía en este país, finalmente se me da el derecho de finalizar el proceso en el que se me dará, no me gusta la palabra "permiso", para convertirme en ciudadana en este país.
¿Tengo la esperanza de que la nueva administración traiga el cambio que se necesita? Creo que todavía tenemos mucho trabajo que hacer ya que tenemos que desmantelar un sistema opresivo que se ha construido durante décadas y siglos en contra de comunidades de color. Sin embargo, espero y deseo que esta nueva administración muestre respeto y dignidad que las comunidades de color nos merecemos tener.
Cecilia: (in English)
About four years ago I was a senior in college, planning my wedding, and applying for graduate schools. Now, I’m finishing up graduate school, working full time, and married. In between, I didn’t know if any of those things would happen.
I’m not who I was the day before and after the 2016 election. Back then I gave too much power to other people. I still believe people are inherently good, but I’ve seen a side that I knew was always there but ignored. People I saw as friends and acquaintances warped into people I realized I never knew, or maybe I always knew but hoped I was wrong.
I’ve also grown, matured, and learned. I’ve met real friends who think like me and support my existence. I’ve worked with people like myself, who have been directly impacted by ever-changing laws. The past four years were stressful, but I learned a few things.
No person has power over me, my feelings, my thoughts, my life.
No matter where I am, I have the ability to control my thoughts, feelings, and actions.
My future is mine and I cannot give others so much power over it.
This is a weird time and this election just left a, “well.. What’s gonna happen next?” feeling. There is so much to learn and so much to fight for, but I am so looking forward to what will come ahead. Personally, I want to see inclusive immigration reform, better healthcare, a strong emphasis on mental health, working on this country’s never-ending systematic racism, and better environmental regulations.
I’m currently working on getting my permanent residency, and may even get to vote in the next presidential election. Fighting for so much and changing so little can be so exhausting, but this is just the beginning. I have the confidence that I didn’t have four years ago, and I have the resources and knowledge that I didn’t have before.
What about YOU? After ALL of this, how are you feeling?
¿Que tal tu? Después de TODO lo que a pasado, ¿cómo te sientes?
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