Donald Trump won the election and I no longer feel safe

I love UNC. I wouldn’t change where I attend school for the world. It is the “southern slice of heaven” and a little bit more. But after Tuesday night, when Donald Trump became president-elect of the United States,  I no longer feel safe here.

As I sat watching the election results roll in, my excitement for potentially electing a candidate whose platforms weren’t based on hate speech and who just so happened to be a woman quickly faded away and I was soon faced with the feeling of dread. Because contrary to what many polls and analysts had been saying throughout this election season, Trump found a way to win. Which in turn has frightened many members of marginalized communities, including myself.

As a black woman at a PWI (Predominately White Institution), I must say that I never felt 100% safe here at UNC. While the overall atmosphere of Chapel Hill is friendly and chill, it’s not a utopia. Now that Trump is the president-elect, there have been numerous reports of hate crimes over the past few days across university campuses nationwide.

Some of the incidents closest to our campus happened at Wake Forest University and in Durham, NC. Wake Forest is about an hour and a half away, while Durham is only a short 10 minute drive.

While there haven’t been any reports made here at UNC, that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t or won’t happen here.

If you voted for Trump, I don’t hate you, but I may not be able to trust you. While the divisive rhetoric that Trump used may not have negatively affected you, there are people using his victory as an opportunity to attack marginalized groups. Whether the intent was to harm or not, these acts shouldn’t be taken lightly and those affected by them shouldn’t be told to “get over it” or grow up. The impact of situations like these can often be greater than the intent. The election of Donald Trump has caused many of us to worry about our safety. After events like these, it’s easy to understand why.

If  you’re unsure of why people are protesting, Google is your friend. Take this time to try and understand why so many people around you are angry, upset, and willing to fight for their right to protest Trump winning.

My only hope is that here at UNC, people will continue to organize and let their voices be heard. We’re all in this together, and we’ve still got a lot of work to get done.

So to my fellow Heels who are worried, scared, and unsure right now, take all the time you need. Your concerns are valid, but we must not give up. As Hillary Clinton said in her concession speech, we must “never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It is, it is worth it.”