Finding Empowerment & Community After the 2024 Election

The news hit like a cold wave: Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election. As an LGBTQ+ individual, I feel shaken, dismayed, confused, and, frankly, lost. My mind races with questions, each echoing a deep sense of uncertainty. How will this change impact my community? What will it mean for our rights, safety, and hard-fought progress? The feeling of disorientation is heavy, as if a long, dark shadow has swept over the future we’d been working toward.

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that our community has survived—and thrived—under adversity before. Empowerment may feel distant at a time like this, but it’s precisely now that we must tap into it. It starts with reclaiming my agency: I can’t control the election outcome, but I can control my response. This isn’t about ignoring fear but about moving through it. I’m reminding myself of my values and what I stand for, and I know my resilience is rooted in those core beliefs.

Community is now more vital than ever. Looking around, I see others feeling the same shock and fear. But I also see unity, compassion, and strength. We lean on one another, checking in, listening, and strategizing ways to protect and support each other. We’re each a thread in a vast tapestry, and when we come together, our community grows stronger and more resilient.

So, where do we go from here? I’m unsure, and perhaps none of us can fully know now. But I do know we’ll figure it out—together. We’ll find new ways to build and protect our spaces, to advocate for our rights, and to support each other through the uncertainty. The road may be difficult, but we’re not alone. And with that knowledge, I find hope amidst the confusion.