Mr. Trump.

I didn’t vote for you. However, because we live in the U.S, and we have a history of peaceful transitions of leadership, you will be President. I’ve got some requests for you as you embark on this next phase of your life, and our next phase. I’m not going to focus on your past, words or actions, instead I’m going to ask for your help in our future.

You have chosen to go in to public office, to serve our country as an elected official… Somewhere around 47% of the voting population put your name in. More actually voted Ms. Clinton’s. It was not a sweeping victory, not a moral victory; instead it was the most divisive in years. Regardless of who voted for you, you are all our president. Our girls, boys, men, women, differently abled, differently religioned, different ethnicity. I implore you to remember that all of us have to be served by you. We all have differing needs. We have differing hopes,dreams, and ideals. We ALL have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I’m not asking you to make us happy, that’s on us. I’m asking that instead, you make sure you put no barriers up to that pursuit. That all of us have the same ability to live and grow and learn and think.

As you plan your next 4 years, I implore that you think about the fact that you have chosen to serve. I’m using this definition of serve: “to be in the service of, to work for”. That is, you work for us. ALL OF US. A nation divided unlike any time I can remember.  Whether I like it or not, whether you like it or not, it’s the truth. You work for us. Not some sub-division, but all of us.

I beg, as you are now a leader in a place that you have never been, that you surround yourself with strong, smart, capable people. I beg that you seek out the best and brightest scientists, states-people, generals, educators, and more.  I beg that you invest in continuing your education in these spaces, but that you remember that it will take a village here. I ask, that you surround yourself with leaders of strong moral compasses. I request that you make sure to include people who do not look or think like you. That you include those of differing opinions from yours so that the best and right answers can be sought to the most difficult of questions.

You are now going to be judged as a success completely differently than every other way you’ve been judged. It’s no longer about your ratings, how much money you make. You will now be judged on the success of our nation. How many of our men and women in uniform come home safely to their families every night will be on you. Your legacy will extend to how well our middle class grows, thrives or dies. Your legacy will be on the success of continuing to protect our environment and keep our land, air, water supplies pure. Will we be a nation that took the tired, the weak, the huddled masses? Will we be a nation that provided safety nets to those that had nowhere to turn?  Will we have more or less unemployment? Are our children able to freely access education, health care? Will they be safer in schools? Are our allies still standing strong with us? Our enemies fewer? Less able to inflect grievous harm on us?

When you think about your 1-X Supreme Court Justice nominations, I beg you to think about judges who do know and respect the constitution. When you determine other positions, I beg you to think about the best person for that position every time.

I am praying for you to do your level best because my life, livelihood depends on it. Because my children’s lives/livelihoods do. Be assured. I will not be apathetic in these next 4 years. I will be 100% engaged daily. I will hold you as accountable as I know how to do. God speed.