There is an American tradition of protest against infringements upon personal freedoms that has been time-honored since the beginnings of this country. After the most recent election, there has been much talk of impending reversal of basic human rights that have been previously fought for and hard-won. Some voters demanded these changes, but the majority did not.

As a result, it feels like those who were previously described as the disenfranchised have jumped over the line into feeling validated and having been anointed with a modicum of power, while the rest of us are left bewildered and afraid of the wholesale reversal and subsequent fast track back into the equivalent of medieval times, especially for women, the LGBTQ communities and issues surrounding healthcare and immigration, to name a few. Social media has suddenly degenerated into a playground for anger and hate, to the point where expletives and name-calling of those with differing opinions has become the norm instead of the exception.

Everyone handles these overwhelming emotions in their own personal ways, and peaceful protest has become an art form. A prime example are the walls of the NYC Union Square subway station that have been transformed with hundreds of thousands of colourful post-it notes bearing words that illustrate how the writers are feeling. It's "subway therapy" at its best, and it’s spectacular in its simple power. Then, in one stunningly perfect day on January 21, 2017, approximately 4.8 million people took to the streets in 673 marches worldwide to make sure they were heard. And so they were. In New York and Washington, D.C., it was a sea of pink "pussyhats" and signage that left no doubts as to what each person was feeling. It was one of the most empowering days we have ever experienced, with so many participants in NYC that it was more of a shuffle than a march. Yet there was not one arrest. There were young, old, women, men, children and families, all giving voice to their fears and fierce in their determination to bring about forward motion and positive change.

In the time since the protest, it seems every day there is yet another shocking governing action that is adding fuel to the landslide into an Orwellian dystopia. It is surreal, confusing and just plain scary. But the strongest candle burning at the end of the maze is the fact that ultimately one has to believe that the true American spirit will prevail and stem the flow. "We shall overcome," but not by sitting around. Action breeds reaction, so keep those voices raised and strong. Fight for what you believe…RESIST!