Here’s To You, America: A World Turns Its Hopeful Eyes To You

I am not an American. I have never set foot on U.S. soil, even though I wish to do so in my lifetime. However, I have always looked up to American values and American democracy. I have grown up with American music in my ears and American movies before my eyes. I have been brought to tears many times by words spoken by good American men and women. That’s why, four years ago, my heart broke for you, and my soul was crushed.

But today is a good day. Today is the moment that a great nation can start to rebuild and realign itself with the rest of the world in the fight for a better tomorrow.

Your victory means so much more than you could even imagine, dear America. Kamala Harris’s breakthrough matters for women from all around the world. Her victory tells us that we matter now more than ever before and we will make ourselves heard.

I don’t know what the future holds, but what I do know is that it won’t be anything like that last four years have been. Right now, I want to believe that the American people have chosen well and that the United States will join the rest of the world in fighting climate change and so many other crises humanity is facing. In a year shadowed by so much suffering and hardship, today is a good day. For now, as I sit and watch the celebrations in the streets and feel the collective happiness on social media, I cannot help but dream that today is the start of a better future.

And please, don’t forget what you’re feeling right now. This feeling right here, this sweet feeling you have at this very moment is called hope and you probably haven’t felt it in a long time; hope for the future, hope for our world, hope for the truth, and hope for the good in humanity.

Nothing else matters today, but hope. So, feel it unconditionally and unapologetically. Now, go out there and share the hope with as many people as you can.