To those who are asking for unity

To people who ask us to see where Trump supporters come from, please understand in turn that this election is a punch in the gut to all of us who look different from mainstream idea of an American.

It feels like a rejection of our identity as Americans, a slap in the face to the hope that, no matter our skin color or gender, beliefs, or sexual orientation, hard work and common decency can allow us to thrive in this country.
To those who have voted for Donald Trump and protest that the label of bigotry is unfair, you have — explicitly or implicitly, knowingly or not — endorsed a bigot, and endorsed his hatred of all of us who look or act differently from him. For the next four years, we will live in fear of policies that reduce us back to the kids who eat lunch in the bathroom because “our food smells funny.”

We want to understand you. We want to join your community and contribute with our skills to build a better one. We want to make this country great for all of us. We all feel the pain of economic inequality — the frustration of sending half our paychecks to pay off student loans, of hoarding pennies to afford lunch is not limited to any skin color, any nationality, any gender, or any sexual orientation. We want all of us to have three meals a day, to have a roof over our heads that doesn’t leak, to have enough money to give our kids a bright childhood and even brighter future.

But in turn, I ask this of you: to those who ask us to understand why people have voted for Donald Trump — yes, please share why with me. But first, look me in the eye and tell me it’s not because you detest that I am different from you. And please, explain to your friends and family who voted for Donald Trump that underneath our superficial differences, that we want to build a community and a future that is better for all of us.