Opinion: Unity over division. Time to break from old politics

Every minute of the day for the last couple of weeks—or months, something horrific has happened, or been told on national television, often stemming from the Republican party. It’s either something sexist, homophobic or racist. It’s certainly unfit for a society that prides itself in being progressive, democratic, constitutional, inclusive, and most of all, a place that welcomes immigrants.

We are less than a week away from electing a president who will steer this country for the next four years, and I can’t believe that the race is so close that we are left on edge 24/7. How can a convicted felon who was found liable for sexual abuse, be competing almost equally in electoral votes with a highly educated woman of color? Would this not be a disgrace in the eyes of the international community, turning the U.S. presidency into the biggest joke in our history? According to Trump supporters, apparently not.

We are facing extreme disinformation and division among minority groups, similar to the 1980s and 1990s, when Black and Hispanic communities were turned against each other, giving away their collective power to white politicians who exploited generational trauma to maintain dominance. That’s precisely what Trump and his political and billionaire allies are doing right now, in 2024. The difference is that this time, the stakes are unimaginably higher.

Every day, more stories emerge of women who were forced to carry non-viable pregnancies, even when the fetus had no chance of survival. This isn’t just an individual issue but reflects a systemic disregard for women’s autonomy and well-being. Such policies convey to women that their health and choices matter less than fulfilling narrowly defined roles. It’s deeply troubling that this is happening in a country that prides itself on freedom and equality.

We have fought for decades—no, centuries—to be seen as first-class citizens, to secure the right to vote, to have a bank account without a spouse’s signature, and to gain independence. We fought to be accepted in the highest-ranked universities and to become CEOs, university presidents, and Supreme Court justices, we fought so hard to the point that we can now have a woman running for president. And now all of that could be swept away by a sexist and racist candidate that has zero knowledge of politics and relies solely on manipulating the masses through polarization.

As a highly educated immigrant woman of color myself, I am terrified of seeing Trump return to the White House, especially with the broad support of openly racist, xenophobic, and sexist groups. During the last Trump rally, our dear Puerto Rico was called “a floating island of garbage.” Kamala Harris was insulted and belittled simply for being a woman of color. Lies and disinformation about abortion circulate every minute, with claims that women's rights activists want abortion available up to the ninth month. Immigrants have been humiliated with statements that denigrate us as “dog and cat eaters,” while Black and Latinx people are subjected to racist jokes too vile to repeat. And still, some members of our communities believe we are seen as equals? How? All of this is just delusional.

I know we won’t always agree as a society, that we may have different interests, backgrounds, and beliefs, but one thing that should unite us is the respect and dignity we hold for ourselves. We, as women, must learn to recognize predators, not just sexual predators, but also those who will strip us of our rights, freedoms, and liberties.

Historically, marginalized communities have united to overcome political manipulation, as seen in the Civil Rights Movement. Today, unity remains our strongest asset. If Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Indigenous communities, along with women across all races and backgrounds, stand together, we can counteract tactics meant to divide us. Voting, organizing community discussions, and supporting policies that benefit all marginalized communities are ways to resist this manipulation and maintain our collective power. When we stand together, the political divide narrows, and real, inclusive progress becomes possible.

Voting for Trump is to condone violence against our kind. It’s a betrayal, an act of giving away our power. It’s as damaging as entering into an abusive relationship with full knowledge that the abuser will not change—and we know better than that. We cannot go back. Women are registered to vote at higher rates than men in the U.S.; we have the power to make our voices heard. We have the power to change this election if we choose, and for the first time in a long time, we must.