I look over at my peaceful kids, sleeping together, hands touching, knowing that in a few minutes, maybe a little more if I am lucky, they will stir, one waking up with a grin, the other with a groan, and our day will start. I hear the wind roaring outside again and I wonder how bad the rain will be tomorrow, glad that I have ordered a new stroller cover, because there is no way I am staying home because of a bit of rain. I look at my children and wonder what kind of future they will have, because from the looks of things, we are taking a pretty dark turn in history.

We need to start off strong and not let go, no backing down, no falling into apathy, no acceptance. If this country really is a democracy, seeing as it’s been trying to stomp those words all over the place for the past I don’t know how many years, then our voices will be heard and actually used to pave the way for a better future. But I used to be an optimist, age has turned me into a realist, so let’s be real… Now that we are all clear on how democracy is an utter farce in this country, we must stand up proud for our rights and for those around us, especially for those who cannot stand up with us. Starting today, we must not let anyone silence us, we march, we write, we talk and we act. I am not bringing my children up in fear, and I am not going to let anyone else tell me what I have to fear. Together, as women, men, children, citizens, immigrants, people who live, work and love this country, we will stand together to say NO. We will stand together for our rights, for our freedoms, for our equality. We will stand together for our differences and for the actual ability to celebrate our differences together, and we will stand together for love, for peace and for a real future.

I will teach my children to always stand up for their rights, just as my mother always taught me to stand up for mine, and that apathy only strengthens the opposition, doesn’t make it disappear. Every time that we let something slide because it’s “easier that way” we open the door towards a world that we don’t really want to live in. Now that we still have a choice let’s make sure that door doesn’t open. I used to be all about peace and love, and while I would still love to believe that one day we could live in a peaceful world, I know that for the time being we need to resist, hold strong, and not back down. No one should live in fear, and there is no way on earth that I am going to let us all start taking steps back after all that we have accomplished over the past century or so. I know that a bunch of our heroes are probably turning in their graves right now, so let’s make sure that all the work they did wasn’t in vain.

Stay safe, stay vigilant, and never, ever lose your voice. We are in this together, and we WILL create a better future for our next generations, teaching them that tolerance, equality and solidarity are THE way forward, and that we do not have to be afraid of being ourselves.

We will be joining the Women's March Sacramento tomorrow morning.