Looking back, I would say pre-2016, I was living life with a proximity to whiteness of which I was unaware. I knew about racism and systemic bias, but didn't feel it's impact in my life personally and so was willfully ignorant of the ways in which the system itself was biased. My feelings toward America have changed, I think I see more clearly how we, as American citizens, have participated in a system that perpetuates inequities and that, in many ways, we refuse to correct the foundational issues. I also see how our refusal to acknowledge the ways in which this country was built on slavery has made it impossible for us to acknowledge the ways in which we have wronged the African American Community. I will also say, that I am in awe of African Americans in this country - they are true patriots in that they keep pushing all of us to live up to the ideals this country espouses despite the ways in which they have been abused and traumatized. I say this in reference to the African American community in particular, but I know it also applies to other communities of color.

I haven't been impacted personally in an economic or material sense, but I have been changed in terms of outlook and emotion, which has caused a big change in my level of interaction in my community. I have applied for positions on commissions in local government, have become more involved in the PTA at my school and, more generally, tried to be more engaged on local and national issues. I attended my first protests in the past four years. I volunteered to be a poll worker in my county. I'm making sure to model local community engagement to my kids and educate them on everything I'm learning now so that they won't be ignorant of their privileges and responsibility.

I think the mobilization of the vote has been amazing. How so many people are encouraging each other to vote and engaging friends in family in a proactive way.

I'm hopeful about the ways in which so many of us have become more aware and are trying to educate ourselves and engage in the work that needs to be done. I'm also hopeful because there are so many people doing this work that are leading us in the right direction.