Keep marching forward

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

God, I miss the Obamas already.

Yesterday's inauguration ceremonies were sickening. I tried - I promise I tried - to find an ounce of hope in our 45th, but his dark, demeaning inauguration speech left me feeling just as frustrated and upset as I was on November 8th. This man is the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA now, and he has zero regard for anyone but himself. As citizens, we have no choice but to accept that he is our president, but that doesn't mean we should remain silent.

To be honest, I was terrified to go downtown for the Women's March on Cleveland today - I've never protested before, let alone by myself. But when I look ahead at the world that we will raise our children in, I'm even more terrified. Climate change is a HUGE deal, black lives matter, women's rights are being argued, and healthcare is a human right. Don't even get me started on gun regulations...

So I marched shoulder-to-shoulder alongside 15,000 men, women and children in Cleveland, Ohio - and MILLIONS across the globe - to send a clear message that this administration is expected to represent ALL Americans, not just the privileged and entitled.

This united spirit was exactly the motivation I needed, and I hope that others are feeling as inspired as I do to not only support organizations that are doing great things, but to be the difference that this world needs.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. What are YOU going to do in the next four years to make a difference in your community, in your country and in your world?

NOW is the time to take those feelings of frustration, sadness and fear, and channel it toward change. Here are a few ways to keep marching forward:

• Donate to or volunteer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

• Donate to or volunteer with Planned Parenthood.

• Donate to or volunteer with the National Organization for Women (NOW).

• Join and/or support AmeriCorps.

• Support She Should Run, a national organization that works to encourage women and girls of all backgrounds to aspire to public leadership and run for office next to men.

• Shit, run for office yourself - whether its your neighborhood HOA, your city council, state legislature or beyond, have confidence that YOUR voice matters and YOU can make a difference in your community

• Support Earthjustice, the nation’s largest nonprofit environmental law organization that works to protect land and wildlife for future generations, ensure healthy communities with clean air and water, and move toward clean energy.

• Be genuinely kind to everyone you meet, regardless of race, gender, religion, political beliefs, etc.

Most importantly, mark your calendars: On Tuesday, November 6, 2018, the United States midterm elections will be held. All 435 seats in the House and 33 seats in the Senate will be contested. 39 state and territorial governorships and numerous other state and local elections will also be contested. This should be a no-brainer, but YOU HAVE TO VOTE.

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." -Barack Obama

#girlpower #selfimprovement #optimism #compassion