I grew up in a family of Democrats in Charlotte, N.C., a blue city in a major swing state. It is difficult to remember a time when politics did not play a significant role in my worldview. This November, I and many others on this campus get to express their own voice and make a decision about the future of our country. But in a politically divided state and country, it is hard to tune out the noise.

One vote, two votes, red votes, blue votes 

My first memory surrounding the presidential election was a mock election in the second grade. It was 2012 and President Barack Obama was running for re-election against former Governor Mitt Romney. In prior weeks, I heard my parents talk about how they were voting for Obama. So without a second thought, I filled in the bubble on my fake ballot next to Obama and Joe Biden.

All around Eastover Elementary, I kept hearing my 8-year-old classmates say, “My mom says we are Democrats” or “My dad says we’re Republicans.” That day I went home and asked my parents what we were. 

“Well your mom and I are Democrats. And when you grow up you will get to choose a political party, too,” my dad explained.

I just thought that if my parents were Democrats, I would be a Democrat, too.

Four years later, it was the fall of 2016 and I was in sixth grade. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was running against “The Apprentice” star Donald Trump. Conversations around this election felt different than they did four years prior. The world and Alexander Graham Middle School felt tense. A wall suddenly appeared between me and some of my classmates. 

At the time, my primary source of political information was, still,  my parents — and I am sure I was not the only 12-year-old guilty of this., But it was still enough to drive a wedge between elementary school friendships. 

Everything was either blue or red, good or bad. That was that. 

Sixteen and voteless 

In 2020, during my sophomore year of high school, it felt as though the country only became more divided. Trump was running for re-election against Biden, and the COVID-19 pandemic had everyone locked up in their homes and six feet apart. The physical distance led to more political dissonance as the pandemic became a highly controversial topic of debate amongst blue and red politicians.

At 16-years-old, this presidential election felt personal. While my parents and my upbringing influenced my political views, I was not a little kid blindly following in their footsteps. I did my research on the two candidates’ policies, I watched the news and I reflected on the well-being of the country over the last four years under President Trump. With all this information I felt powerless. It didn’t matter who I thought was the right candidate to lead our country. I simply had to trust others to exercise their civic duty and choose to protect autonomy. I jumped for joy with my brother when Biden was announced as the 46th president of the United States of America.

We are not going back  

Fast forward another four years, and here we are. Biden has stepped down from the presidential election, and Vice President Kamala Harris is the new nominee for the Democrats. 

On Aug. 6, I was sitting down in the living room with my family to watch the live stream of the Harris rally in Philadelphia. While the purpose of this rally was to formally introduce Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, it seemed like a party! Rally-goers were given LED wristbands, and a DJ played house music to excite the crowd. 

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro came out swinging with inspiring speeches. The crowd roared as Shapiro showed his love for Philadelphia, the most populous city in the crucial swing state. Supporters were fired up and ready to see the Democratic candidates. 

Finally, Harris and Walz emerged from behind the blue curtains and the room erupted into applause and cheers. Without even being in Philadelphia, I could still feel the excited energy in the room. The presidential nominee who symbolized the future for women in America filled the screen. 

My mom and I’s eyes welled up with happy and hopeful tears as the crowd chanted, “We are not going back.”

It’s hard to find common ground in this election

While I am nowhere near perfect, I strive to be a kind and open-minded person who is inclusive and empathetic. However, when I hear that someone is voting for a convicted felon and a man who believes in stripping women of the right to make decisions about their own bodies, I feel repulsed. 

Trump wants to close the Department of Education, ban books, and prevent schools from teaching critical race theory. The orange buffoon wants to target immigrants and deport contributing members of society that do not have citizenship. His administration does not support the Equality Act that protects LGBTQ+ from institutional discrimination. Trump does not support a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body and believes firearms are more important than protecting children. Trump supports policies that do not represent those of a strong leader of a democracy who wants to help all Americans. These policies reflect those of a dictator. 

Trump said it himself when asked by Fox News host Sean Hannity if he was going to be a “dictator.” He responded by saying, “No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling.” 

While I do agree with most of the policies of the Harris campaign, I also see that Harris is a competent, strong and compassionate leader. Out of the two candidates, she is going to be the one to unify Americans and find common ground. 

I think actress and activist Kerry Washington said it best in her interview with MSNBC when she emphasized that despite her love for Harris, she didn’t feel voters had to agree to vote for her.

“This is not about loving that person because it’s not about hero worship. It’s not about one person coming in and solving all the problems. I always say you have to vote based on the love you have for yourself, not the love you have for a candidate. Because what’s at stake right now are your own rights and liberties,” she said.

So no, you don’t need to love Harris to see that she is the candidate who will not leave America in a flaming mess. She shows empathy towards Americans and wants to protect the freedoms of every person in this country. With Trump, we will move back into a dark age, but with Harris, we will move into a bright and successful future. 

We are not going back.