This is why we have our hotline.

(https://www.youthvoices.live/2017/12/02/mission-to-bring-the-lgbt-community-home/)

This was such a great idea and also brings in the audience that may be not willing to be seen but wants to be heard. I love that idea!

Sometimes I’m not sure if my mom is just in denial about my sexuality, or if she’s just confused on how the whole thing works.

(https://www.youthvoices.live/2017/12/03/this-isnt-temporary/)

The title of this post was, "This Isn't Temporary", which speaks numbers. It is very disrespectful when someone has the courage to speak on who they truly are and their sexuality and someone takes it as a joke. I know for parents, this is a big issue. To discuss further on the above quote, I believe that her and mother may be confused on what the other is thinking. This is a great opportunity for her to educate her mother and at least she can say she tried to communicate who she is.

I know that right now you are nervous, but trust me you are for no reason we have yet to have a bad reaction from anyone yet and its been 5 years.

(https://www.youthvoices.live/2017/12/02/thought-you-may-like-to-know/)

People do not realize how essential reassurance is to people, especially individuals in the LGBTQ community. Some might as some that their support should be obvious but you never know what is going through someone's mind. In the LGBTQ community it is very common for them to be the outcast and felt unwanted. they need to know someone cares. Be that person if need be to say it.

Wanting to be happy but knowing what you have to go back to at the end of the day is a feeling that no one wants to experience. Just so people will not ask and worry about you, you have to put on this front and be strong because no one is going to be there for you like you are there for you.

To be honest, you would think stories would change hearts and minds but in reality, many people in this world have such cold hearts and minds that it would not matter. Stories may persuade some, so on the bright side at least you can impact someone hopefully.

This statistic and fact was something that unfortunately does not come as a surprise. People will literally leave their children on the streets with nothing to eat because they do not believe their sexuality and identity is normal. It is one thing to be upset but abandoning your children should be taken more serious. Majority of society does not care- at least they do not share their opinions which silence does not make a positive impact.

This brings up a lot of concern when it comes to leadership in this society. If someone is not in a official position to help, everyone stands around and have "sympathy" from a far. Let it be an issues that everyone is social constructed to support, I bet you the whole world would be in flames as they all go mad in distress.

The first step to someone being able to understand more about the LGBTQ community is by educating them. It is not as if someone need to pay t be educated or ever move, the opportunity they provide is online and free.99. But people are so ignorant, that they would not even think that it is worth it.

As a citizen in one of these minority groups I am fearful that history may be allowed to repeat itself if we allow these individuals to preach their hate.

This letter to the leaders of America spoke numbers to me. Our country is being divided and the people in control of this country is advocating for the division. I do not think people under the severity of history repeating itself and on top of that, the one person that is supposed to protect us does not seem like he has everyone's best interest. People are literally scared for their lives. No one should be afraid to live.

Growing up as a white female in America, I have experienced many privileges that come along with being white.

In this letter, my classmate advocated for all people and let it be known that there should be policies that recognize everyone as one. As a young African American it is great to see individuals acknowledging the privileges they receive. I have had encounters with too many people that believe "white privilege" does not exist. In this quote, it is great to see that someone can accept their advantage but use it for good.

'“I saw the car hit bodies, legs in the air,” she said. “You try to grab the people closest to you and take shelter.”'

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fights-in-advance-of-saturday-protest-in-charlottesville/2017/08/12/155fb636-7f13-11e7-83c7-5bd5460f0d7e_story.html?utm_term=.b7edb4cfafb8)

In a situation such as this, you can feel empathy for the victims and witnesses but you cannot truly relate with the victims and witnesses at this traumatic experience. I can only imagine the mental scars that have affected those there. Then on top of that, for media purposes, the witnesses were questioned about the rally and who really wants to keep discussing such an event? I do not understand how individuals can have so much hatred that they become inconsiderate of their impact. We are in era where individuals are becoming careless, dangerous and a race war that's getting bigger and bigger each day.

" 'somebody died during Charlottesville, they were beating people during Charlottesville and to hear them be called “very nice people” I guess it lit the flame for me again.'”

(http://www.knbr.com/2017/09/27/reid-i-was-thinking-about-not-protesting-anymore-before-charlottesville/)

This quote came from a man that was conflicted between the purpose of protesting and if it's even worth it. Especially for minorities, we have to decided if we should speak and act on what we feel is right or should we stay silent and stay safe. It saddens me that people do not want to exercise their freedom of speech because there lives might be taken from them. In today's age, you would think that society would want to put differences inside and be peaceful but of course history has to consistently repeat itself and the hate will continue to destroy our world.

The president did not single out any groups in his remarks, instead accusing "many sides" of violence.

(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlottesville-virginia-donald-trump-white-house-defends-reaction/)

As we all know, the Presidential change was not one the nation actually was prepared for. Not only is Trump's structure in the office something we have never seen but his commentary, as the "President of the United States" made this tragedy even more unforgettable. As leader of this country, I feel as though one should always promote neutrality and peace. Acknowledging the wrong doings and wanting to fix the issues should be considered, but this obviously isn't necessary to Trump. On top of that, the White House is standing beside him as he call these white nationalist "very nice people" says so much about who's running this country. Personally, I do not feel safe with such an individual that talks about this rally as if its the victims fault.

" ....a meticulously organized, well coordinated and heavily armed company of white nationalists; a fiercely resistant and determined group of counterprotesters prepared to stop the Saturday rally"

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/local/charlottesville-timeline/?utm_term=.1ed5452c4d73)

When this tragedy occurred, I will be honest, I did not do any research. It was more because I did not want to read about yet another tragedy full of deaths and hate. This article analyzed behind-the-scenes of the intentions of the white nationalist. With the information given, you could the rally was well-organized and had full intentions of attacking others with opposing opinions. I thought that the violence was spontaneous but there is actually people that want to search around looking for people to perform hate crimes on. I feel as though people are not using the action of protest for the right reasons and they obviously need to be educated on freedom of SPEECH not freedom to do whatever you want to others.

Charlottesville was a tragedy that no one saw coming, especially the late Heather Heyer. She was a paralegal and when she participated in a protest that stood for her beliefs, her life was sacrificed. After reading this article, it really made me realize how many innocent lives were taken due to what they believe in. There is people that die everyday for what they believe in and in this case, someone died because of differences. Tragedies like this is what separates our country and pulls us further away from becoming one. Lives are being sacrificed because people are taking their freedom of speech to the point of not accepting others. I have been in several protest and I am so grateful it has not escalated. There was a time when a white nationalist actually interrupted our peaceful protest and always took a few of my fellow peers out of their character, but they had to stand their ground and not let irrelevant people take them out of their element. It is getting crazy out in this world, and I don't even know if its controllable at this point.