Now that this is over, we can ship them all back to Mexico. – My Mexican-American husband’s co-worker today

So, that one guy won the election, and the KKK and apparently this asshole that works with my husband are celebrating. I spent today a little differently. I cried a lot. I called or texted or emailed my transgendered and queer friends and family to tell them I loved them and that I was here. I told my kids we had to rise up like Dumbledore’s Army and keep being kind. Being brave. Speaking up.

But not today. Today – November 9th – was a day of being sad and feeling small. Tomorrow will be a little better and I’ll be able to wrap my head around the fact that almost half of my fellow American’s don’t care that our new president is a misogynist, a racist, a bigot. That his followers have already started attacking people of color. It’s happening. Transgender teens are committing suicide. Black college women are being called the n-word until they run back to their rooms and hide in tears. This is not a case of sore losers.

So from here, I’m deciding to turn my fear into action. I will be louder. I will get big instead of small. I will teach my children that we can create pockets of beauty inside of fear. That we will not be afraid of people because they are other. That we will not hide who we are. I’m not taking readings for a while because I’m honestly still a half-a-heartbeat away from crying all the time, but when I do come back to them, they will be honest and challenging and will help my clients be their best selves.

I’m going to ask each of you to speak out. If you see someone being marginalized. If you see someone who is afraid. If you see someone being intimidated. Be brave, and mighty forces will come to your aid. There are more of us than there are of them, and we won the popular vote. This is our country, too, and love always wins.

Love always wins.

And I want to say especially to my people who are queer or trans or immigrants or people of color or otherwise “other”. You matter. You are important. I love you. I am here for you. We are here for each other. Please don’t take your light away. We need you. 

xo Lis