Defend Civil Rights. What else can we say?

On the day we learned the 2016 election results, Carmen masks her despair with a smile as Howard points out the timely message in the sign above her.We gathered in our office this morning to share our fears for our country.

We fear for the future of the Supreme Court and the likelihood that the laws that protect our civil liberties will be diminished.

We fear the legitimization of hatred including racism, misogyny, xenophobia, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia.

We fear for the communities—Black communities and undocumented communities in particular—that are targeted by the police. We fear that law enforcement will be empowered by our politicians’ rhetoric.

But we will not give up. We will continue to fight for equal treatment and justice for all.

We are reminding ourselves to take deep breaths. We are surrounded by people who share our fears and our desire for justice and equality. Together, we will continue to defend our civil rights and we will work to fulfill our dream of a better world.