By Saher Hyderali, Battleground Texas Fellow
If someone had told me a year ago that I would be organizing my community, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Until recently, I was a millennial without a care in the world. Then November 8th happened.
After the election, I began living in fear. Hate crimes against Muslims (or even just those who appeared to “look” Muslim) had been on the rise, and I was worried for my family’s safety. And in January, when Trump’s executive order banning Muslims from entering our country came out, I knew that I couldn’t stay silent any longer. I had to wake up.
I applied for a Fellowship with Battleground Texas. It’s taught me a lot — not only about the political process, but about people, and perhaps most importantly, myself. I thought I had nothing to contribute after the election, but through my Battleground Texas Fellowship, I learned I have so much more I can give.
There is so much more we can all give. There’s a champion in all of us, and for me, the Battleground Texas Fellowship program was the best way to bring it out. Apply now for a Summer Fellowship with Battleground Texas.
On election night, my heart sank and my fear deepened with each red state that lit up on the electoral map. Donald Trump had waged a war on everything I held sacred — democracy in this country, my history of being an immigrant myself, my Muslim faith, and my womanhood. Donald Trump’s rise to power was one I (and most of the country) had never imagined.
Through Battleground Texas, I found an opportunity that let me connect with like-minded people, people who understood my frustration and most importantly, people who I could trust.
If Trump’s election made you sad, mad, scared, and ready to fight, apply now for a Battleground Texas Fellowship to learn how to harness that energy into action: