We are just 4 days post-election, and we are already seeing the results playing out in our every day lives. I could write about my feelings or how difficult it is to be there for students when we’re still trying to figure it out for ourselves. Honestly, my post wouldn’t look much different than the thousands of other posts like it. Posting about our feelings can only get us so far. Those that voted and share the same feelings as their candidates will not change their minds based on a Facebook post. The only way I can see to move on is to act. The last couple of days, I have seen the safety pin popping up all over my social media. While I think this is a great start for some people who are looking for a positive way to move forward, simply putting a safety pin on doesn’t mean anything. We need to show we are there for one another through our actual actions.
Action can look many different ways. Think about what you want to spend your time or money supporting. For some, that is donating to an organization like Planned Parenthood. For others, that may be volunteering for an organization or event.
I have chosen to do two things. The first is some self-care. SO many of us put ourselves last all the time, but we can’t effectively be there for others unless we are there for ourselves first. I have been sick for the larger part of the last week, and the stress of this week have only made this worse. So today, I decided to go and open a library card in my new city. I cannot even remember the last time I read for my own enjoyment. As I started my search, I was looking for books related to higher education, career counseling, and social justice. While I love reading about these topics, it didn’t take me long to realize this is the exact opposite of what I need right now. Ever since I was a kid, reading has been a way for me to detach from the real world and spend some time elsewhere. I ended up leaving the library with three books completely unrelated to education.
Next week, I will be attending training for a local organization to become a volunteer Post Secondary Coach in my community. Through this organization, I will be paired with high school students from low-income schools in our community to guide them in preparation for and through the college admissions process. As a first-generation student myself, access to college has always been one of my greatest interest areas in Higher Education. While the results of our election may not be making it any easier for these students to achieve their education goals, I see it as my way to give back to my community to help these students see the possibilities.
In addition to these things, I will continue to make myself available to students, peers,
family, and friends who need to process the results of this election. One of the most difficult aspects of working in Higher Education is knowing that I need to make myself available to ALL students, regardless of how they may have voted in this election. The day after the election, I had one-on-one appointments with students who openly told me they were very happy about the election results. I then was a chaperone for a bus trip to Atlanta with 100 students for a Diversity Networking Event. The trip there
was quiet. However, on the way home, students were amped up and ready to talk about the event, their future career goals, and how the results of the election may affect those goals. I had a few conversations with students about the election, especially my international students who are concerned with how their visas will be affected. I may not have all the answers now, but I am ready to continue processing and figuring this out with all.
From Passion to Purpose 