Obergefell v. Hodges, Roe v. Wade, and Brown v. Board of Education. 3 landmark cases that have been repeated to me and others in my generation as proof of the progressive nation and time we live in. Any criticisms that we may bring up are quickly shot down with phrases like “it’s not as bad as it used to be”, “it’s worse in other countries”, “you’re just sensitive”, and a finger pointed back to those three cases. When I was younger, I took these phrases that were thrown at me and said nothing, for fear of being told off by those who are older than me. If my parents tell me it’s not that bad, is it really as bad as I think it is? However, this naive mindset is one I found myself left behind after major events like Trump’s election in 2016, the response to Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. This 7-year period between 2016 and 2023 is one that has proven itself to be defined by political instability in the US and it’s time we usher in a period of change and stability and leave behind the fear and chaos that has gripped our nation. Now, it would be immature of me to believe that such change would happen overnight, especially when looking at the oppressive policies put in place and being pushed every day at the local, state, and federal levels. However, it would be worse to lose hope altogether over the potential of change. Thus, I put my voice out. To prove that the time we are living in isn’t sunshine and rainbows, to educate others about the injustices happening all around us every day, to demonstrate that my generation isn’t ignorant, and to potentially quell my fears by knowing that the terrifying path our nation is taking to the future isn’t only recognized by me, but by others as well.