November 2, 2016

Dear Mr. or Mrs. President-

It must feel surreal to actually have that title. I have a plea that in all of the chaos, economics, bills, meetings, phone calls, and photographs, you remember that before anything else it is your duty to protect the people of the United States. The people of the United States include women, children, undocumented workers, the poor, minorities, the homeless, the ill, and the handicapped. This protection means keeping the people safe, fed, educated, advocated for, heard, and respected.

Political parties aside, I want you to wake up every morning and remember how many people need you to speak for them. The individuals in our country who are causing corruption and violence are doing so because of deeper issues in our society and family life- and these issues must be identified and worked on for our country to grow and move forward. I believe the United States has the capability to become the world’s safe haven, and we can work from there towards economic power and stability.

To accomplish this protection of the people specific tasks need to be completed. We need to make education affordable and available to people of every income, legal status, and handicap. We need to put gun laws in place to make the people feel safe at home. We need to educate police officers with more training on relationships with minorities to decrease police brutality. We need to have equal pay for women and men and maternity leaves for every family, not just the traditional ones. (This means gay couples, single parents, and working fathers.) We need to create an America that Martin Luther King would be proud of because it follows his statement of, "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.". We should extend this statement to not judging by gender, income, legal status, sexual orientation, illness, and disability.

The people build our nation, therefore it is the people and their environment and thought that must be given close attention to. The protection of nature teaches children how to become a citizen of the world, leaving a room, campsite, or person as they were before they came to them or better. It is a cycle that you need to endorse- care for your people encourages care for our country. Education, equality, safety, and mental health of every single American citizen are paramount, and I believe that if you forget this, you will have failed at your job.

Please remember how much power you have to change the lives of the people who feel they have no power at all.

Signed,

Siena 

Salt Lake City UT