On Wednesday, a text message from a friend in the Philippines jolted me awake.
"So sorry. Donald Trump is making a comeback," it read.
Trump's return to the White House stirs strong emotions, no matter one's political leaning. To me, however, the sting is haunting.
I am well acquainted with the grief of an imagined women-led future.
Leni Robredo, a human rights lawyer, economist and, at that time, Vice President of the Philippines with an unblemished track record, ran for presidency in 2022.
Her campaign was a grassroots movement filled with the hope of a more compassionate and accountable government.
Filipinos from different walks of life — young people, doctors, lawyers, farmers, entrepreneurs, artists and celebrities — painted streets in pink and roused rallies with inspiring music, even catching the attention of American pop star Ariana Grande.
And yet, Filipinos enabled the Marcos family to return to power after a landslide victory by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Marcos Jr.’s father was notorious for his 20-year reign of terror marked by corruption, violence and human rights abuses.
Like Trump's "Make America Great Again," Marcos Jr.'s campaign ditty Bagong Pilipinas, which translates to New Philippines, capitalized on an assertive nationalism that resonated widely, despite his complex past.
The day after the U.S. presidential election, I got up and went to work as usual.
Trump’s rival Kamala Harris posted on X, formerly Twitter, that she had conceded the election and called for unity.
“I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign: The fight for freedom, for opportunity, and for fairness and the dignity of all people," she said.
A country’s true triumph lies beyond any one individual, including Trump.
Indeed, in the U.S., more authority is generally given to state and local governments under federalism and the Tenth Amendment.
This is why disaster relief efforts, minimum wage laws and environmental regulations differ depending on where one lives.
Trump will also have to share the federal government’s slice of the pie with 535 lawmakers in Congress and hundreds of federal judges.
Throughout his campaign, Trump was clear with his plans for his second term, such as carrying out mass deportations, keeping “men” out of women’s sports and boosting fossil-fuel production, which will cause lasting harm to the climate of our entire planet.
Political science experts and media professionals have also warned of the social, political and economic implications in Canada.
While Trump’s influence can trickle down, history also shows that communities have the power to withstand and transform these pressures.
Knowing what’s coming has gotten us ready.
Independent watchdogs like the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and media literacy organizations such as PolitiFact by The Poynter Institute continue to counter misinformation and monitor the government overreach.
The International Criminal Court prosecutes those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It has even probed Marcos Jr.’s predecessor Rodrigo Duterte for his bloody drug war.
These organizations work hard; however, they can’t stop abuse of power alone.
Any citizen who seeks good governance should advocate for community libraries or archives, support journalism and attend city council meetings to keep the scale of power balanced and bound.
Humber Et Cetera also advises Canadians, who approach the federal elections with similar fear, to push politicians to adopt progressive policies.
A June report by nonpartisan Independent Sector revealed nearly a third of American respondents trust nonprofits to make positive changes to current societal problems.
Joining or donating to mutual aid groups or established charities like Feeding America, Amnesty International and Outright International could help the vulnerable in ways a vote can’t.
The community-based initiative Minneapolis' MPD150, upon sunsetting in 2022, offered a blueprint for accountability systems that focus on public safety without always relying on the police.
A day after Leni Robredo’s term as Vice President of the Philippines expired, she launched Angat Buhay Foundation to continue responding to the needs of marginalized communities, building on the volunteer movement she has sparked.
Robredo taught me change doesn’t require governmental power and hope rests not in one person but in each of us.
Grief reminds us of what we value and what we will fight to protect.
There is no time for despair or division. This is precisely the time to get to work.
