I worked in Missouri progressive politics at the time, and saw Trump's election and the massive red wave as the pinnacle of the GOP's 30 year strategy. Gerrymandered state districts and term limits give an illusion of a broken system, proactively disenfranchising voters from the idea of a democracy. Trump's administration has brought to light the myth of American exceptionalism. It has exposed both the myth driving South Asians to the country and the myth Indian Hindu Americans continue to believe to align themselves with whiteness. My feelings about an unjust nation state and its citizens have hardened, but not fundamentally changed; this is a country and culture built off violence, oppression, and ego.

I'm incredibly lucky and privileged that I've been left relatively unscathed by this administration. I'm constantly stressed out by the administration's policy/rule changes, and am especially stressed about immigration and healthcare. My husband is not a citizen and the green card process is becoming more and more difficult. I am worried about affordable, accessible healthcare for my parents and any future children I may have. I am worried about increasing segregation in all utilities - education, housing, internet, insurance - and how that will continue destroying at risk communities and families. This stress isn't new. I've seen the rhetoric, policy, and impact while working in Jefferson City. I knew the entire system was broken before Trump. I welcome everyone who has recognized that fact now.

1. Voting for your perceived pocket won't save you. Voting for our collective pocket will. 2. Working 10x harder than the GOP to maybe eke out a win is by design. Question the entire process and dedicate yourself to changing one part of it. 3. The election cycle is the byproduct of all of the other opportunity to affect political change. Political education and engagement is just as important as professional development.

I registered to vote as soon as I turned 17.5 years old. It is just something my family and I do. I use each election (municipal, primary, general) as an opportunity to assess how much or little I understand about my community's issues and figure out a way to talk about them with more people who may not have the bandwidth to do deep dive research.

There is a remarkable conversation around rebuilding a society that works for everyone, and I have hope that grassroots conversations and work will move the needle. I'm seeing established and new pro-Black policy groups in Columbia, MO and Dearborn, MI. I see young Asian Americans in Michigan and Missouri educating themselves on their histories and developing the confidence to take local action.