![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Editorial: Our shared future trumps the past
Whatever our political opinions, we need unity and communicating going forward
After a divisive result to the election, it’s tempting to retreat to the media echo chambers that created this division. Whether we are grieving or celebrating this result, the time is now to communicate with those who don’t share our beliefs.
Tuesday night, the majority of our editorial staff stood around a television in the journalism room and watched in shock and disbelief as CNN projected that Donald Trump would be our next president.
It’s an overgeneralization to say that our community is completely Democratic, or completely against Trump. But, the majority of our population is comprised of people of color, children of immigrants and LGBTQIA+ folks, all of whom have at one point or another been on the receiving end of Trump’s outspoken rhetoric policy positions.
For many of us, this is a hard time to feel hopeful about the future. For many of us, this is a hard time to feel safe. The vast majority of the students at this school didn’t have the opportunity to vote, but we’re the ones who will live longest with the consequences of this election.
But here’s the thing – Donald Trump will be our president for the next four years, whether that’s cause for celebration or fear. There’s nothing we can do to change that now.
For a lot of our community, this is a time to grieve, and that’s valid. There’s a lot to be said for the importance of safe spaces for marginalized groups.
At the same time, this is, more than ever, a time to reach out to and communicate with those who don’t share our views.
There’s a fine line between a safe space and an echo chamber, and it is a lack of exposure to others’ views that primarily caused the hateful rhetoric and virulent polarization of this election cycle.
Donald Trump will be our president for the next four years. The results of this election are our reality now, and anger and outrage and accusations on either side are unproductive. We couldn’t vote in this election, but we do have a say in what happens next. The only way forward is together.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on November 16, 2016.