Dear United States of America,

The 45th President of the United States is Donald Trump, yet Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. Trump only won because of an outdated system that he himself once condemned. I hope we will get rid of the Electoral College soon.

When I woke up on November 9th my texts were in all caps. I checked the news and cried. Seeing that Trump had been elected was disappointing and frightening. I felt sad that we live in a world where such a racist, sexist, hateful person could win the presidential election. Millions of people voted for Trump, and we can’t dismiss them all as uneducated and ignorant. As many people do, Trump voters want somebody who is honest and can bring about change. Others voted based on one main issue such as abortion or immigration. We need to talk about these issues. Maybe you won’t be able to change anybody’s mind, but maybe you will.

We should also be prepared to work with Trump on certain issues and fight back against the rest. As a country, we have made so much progress. Thank you to everyone who been a part of that difference. To every person who feels unsafe after this election, I am sorry. The United States can do better than this. I will work to make the communities I am a part of as safe as possible.

Finally, go out and vote in 2020, but also remember to vote in 2018!

Madeline Mahoney