SWFL

I remember the look of satisfaction on the faces of the people that filled the room around me. They were screaming, celebrating the fact that, Trump, “the man who isn’t a politician” would become the leader of the free world later that night.

 

The big red flag that read, “Make America Great Again,” hung above the TV. In a room full of Trump supporters, I think everyone just assumed I was part of the crowd. Nobody ever asked me what I thought. All three of my roommates and even my girlfriend voted for him. My parents voted for him. None of them even asked me who I voted for. I guess that didn’t matter to them. I wonder whether they thought about the topic of immigration and how Trump being in office would impact our country.

 

I was indifferent when it came to voting in this election. I was disappointed at first because it was my first election that I was legally allowed to vote in, and I truly believe that everyone who can vote should. I had the opportunity to do so, but I just didn’t have the desire. I couldn’t endorse any of the candidates, even Bernie Sanders to lead and represent what America represents to me.

 

In a way, I was relieved that it was not Hillary, but at the same time, I was nervous for what the future held with Trump.

 

Now that two years have passed, I’m happy with the fact that I sat this one out. All the people who I know supported Trump throughout his time campaign have now changed their narrative to at least some extent.

 

My roommates who voted for him have acknowledged his “reckless behavior, and his lack of a filter or care for the needs of others.” My girlfriend went as far as saying that she wishes she hadn’t voted for him because of his lack of attention to the environment and changes in policy since he came into the office.

 

But, outside of people who are, or once were, fans of Donald Trump, what I’ve really noticed since the start of this project, is the way that Trump has made immigrants feel. A lot of the immigrants I have spoken to for this project feel completely disrespected by Donald Trump.

 

People who have lived here their entire lives tell me they do not feel safe in the country they were raised in. They see Trump as a representation of American culture, and when he refers to the people of Mexico as people “bringing drugs, bringing crime and they’re rapists,” they feel like this is how the rest of America thinks about them.

 

Two sources I talked to for a story I worked on for this project even went as far as to call Trump a “white supremacist.” These people literally feel like we, as a country, want to get rid of them. I can’t help wondering how I’d feel if I were in their shoes.

 

FGCU student Bryan Oliva-Infante grew up unsure of whether his mother would ever return home. She gave him a list of people to contact in case she did not come home from work one day.

 

My roommate threw a party when Trump was elected. His whole family celebrated with drinks, food and friends. Now I asked him how he feels when he sees how Donald Trump makes minorities feel when he says the things that he does or acts the way he does.

 

His response is simply, “He just wants to stop people from coming here illegally.” But no, it’s more than that. He is making American citizens, people that are here legally and have spent their whole lives here, feel like outliers. He is jeopardizing the whole foundation of immigration that this country was built on.

 

I spoke to people from Spain, South Africa and Australia, and people from all three countries think he is a joke. They laughed when I asked them about him. People are embarrassed for us, specifically because of his racist narratives.

 

At this point, it makes me uncomfortable to talk to people who support Trump. It’s hard to make them understand because they haven’t dealt with the things that minorities have dealt with.

 

The change I’ve undergone doing the project is immense. I’ve gained a perspective on what minorities feel in this current political climate. I’ve been able to share that perspective with my friends who do support Trump.

 

Although they may not change their minds, maybe it will help them understand what other people are going through and why they need to be more open-minded and aware of the issues.