Walking out of my communication class on social movements’ rhetoric, my heart was uneasy. We had just watched a documentary about the Women’s March in 2017, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first inauguration, and my eyes watered while pondering how time has changed from eight years ago to now.

This movement occurred before my family moved to the United States, yet I learned about it on the news even from the other side of the world. Although I didn’t personally get to participate in the Women’s March, I know the tremendous impact this worldwide protest generated on people. Not just Americans, but global citizens, recognized the significance of gender empowerment, healthcare, immigration policies, racial equality, environmental justice and beyond. 

However, today, looking back at the mission statements we have created in times of desperation, it’s clear that we did not anticipate how a second Trump administration could escalate to a degree of atrocity much worse, but also, more importantly, much different from his first term. 

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I sense plenty of uncertainties about my future, so much so that it seems as if everything I treasure now can disappear within moments as new policies arise. There is no such thing as “normalcy” left since each day can be a new “unprecedented time.” We are deeply troubled by the larger context of liberal civilizations being in crisis. 

We have a hard time celebrating small wins in our lives: Personally, I can no longer get excited about travel plans with my friends and new opportunities. Under a problematic legacy of restriction, my ability to travel is extremely limited and I will most likely lose all the employment offers I have obtained. 

The social science courses I am taking and the conversations I am having in my clubs, such as debate and other public forums, further expose me to current affairs that teach us about the country’s doom. This anxiety is not a feeling that can be easily turned off. We are experiencing a larger, underlying shift towards extreme wealth concentration and power consolidation. This means we will be inevitably affected by societal despair, fear and isolation.

In these moments of hopelessness, I often think about the writings of American historian and playwright Howard Zinn. He inspired activists by advising that major media will not demonstrate the daily acts of resistance, but we can find evidence of unreported acts from our surroundings. I gradually learned that those who seem to have power can actually be quite vulnerable because their power depends on the obedience of others.

The recurring threats of democratic recessions are frightening but not unexpected. There are still safe spaces at USC where students and faculty can express their dissent and grief over the setbacks that anger us without feeling small and insignificant. 

Granted, it is natural for us to talk about the protections of democracy in political science or international relations classes, but the concerns against the deprivation of basic rights and opposition to the threat of rising fascism in this country aren’t exclusive to students majoring in the social sciences. 

USC needs to dedicate more resources to empower young people politically in the public sphere beyond those who are planning on pursuing it as an occupation. Learning how to fight back against authoritarianism and fostering an accurate awareness of extremist beliefs are crucial steps to becoming responsible, socially conscientious adults in the 21st century.

The University consistently runs programs to promote civic engagement, but these platforms need to be intensified now more than ever. Voter mobilization and nonpartisan clubs maintain the bare minimums of preserving safe spaces, but people are looking for a stronger sense of comfort, motivation and encouragement that extends beyond weekly meetings and speaker events.

To best connect with one another and ignite hope when we feel easily desolate, we need to protect ourselves from the shadows of autocratic, neo-fascist practices. It’s time to reinvigorate the opportunities USC currently holds and consider how we could wrestle with the suppression of educational programs under federal agencies. 

Students deserve to have access to new affinity groups that extend beyond social identities such as race and gender. USC should develop new categories for special interest caucuses that closely resemble the values and trust we lay in the arts, self-determination, human services and so many more aspects of lives that bridge disparate systems and bring us together to reject the widespread complacency that currently haunts us. Most importantly, don’t lose hope in the future of our generation.