2016 Election Aftermath
By: Mikaela Ashburn
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Claire Seid “Our first order of business was actually organizing a suicide prevention campaign because a lot of people were really affected”
Mikaela Ashburn: Worrying about her fellow bobcats was Clair Seids first reaction following the 2016 election results. Claire who is president of FRC and a member of the Multicultural Activist Coalition teamed up with her friends to turn their anger and worry into a plan of action.
MA: Claire and her friends were not the only ones wanting to make sure that everyone stayed safe.
MA: LGBT center director delfin and their staff prepared for the election by providing a safe space for those who needed it
delfin bautista “We knew the election- from voting to results would be stressful, what we did basically for the entire week we put everything that we usually do on hold and just offered a quiet space, a safe space for folks”
MA: This safe space ended up being the perfect place to spend a “‘crafternoon”
db: “we made stress jars out of glitter and mason jars and folks from all over campus came to either just be in the space as fold were crafting or to make a jar themselves.”
MA: Some people needed more than just stress jars
CS: “A lot of my friends had been dealing with difficulties in figuring out how to approach their family after this trump presidency is happening”
MA: With a little help from facebook claire and her friends created a zine
MA: “The elephant in the room, So your family voted for trump”
CS: “We started it then and I continued it, got it out a few days later with help I solicited help from the internet people commented and messaged me with their advice and stories about dealing with this issue, things like that.”
MA: Not everyone was creative as Claire and the folks at the LGBT center though.
MA: Some people only had markers, pizza boxes and an urge to make someone’s day a little brighter.
MA: Jameson Platt and Ian Robinson, two Athens locals, decided to offer free hugs as they sat on Athens County courthouse steps
Jameson Platt: “We were on social media and we just felt that there was disconnect, that the country is kind of divided down the middle right now and that no matter what is going on in the world or what is going on with the election and that we just wanted to bring people together and spread the love and the kindness”
MA: While not many people were feeling a hug, it still made an impact
Ian Robinson: “I think whether they come in for a hug or not they are at least getting a smile back on their face“
After all a smile a day keeps the doctor away or something like that
For LGBT Media action I’m Mikaela Ashburn