The irony of this being asked on July 4th as an American is not lost on me. As a young Black american mother who is unemployed, turning 26 in 4 months, and awaiting an invasive surgery, I’m worried about everything.

Lately, I’m most worried about the state of the country. Roe v Wade was overturned leading to abortion bans, which will result in more women dying. Affirmative Action has been overturned within the past week and white women and non-black people will soon learn they still won’t get into their college of choice. Anti LGBTQ and no fault divorce bills are being proposed. That doesn’t even include the fact that the earth is dying, wages aren’t proportional to expenses, and we don’t have universal healthcare.

With people actively changing laws to keep white cis men in power, gerrymandering districts to suppress the votes of black people, it’s hard to stay positive right now in our political climate. I worry about how many laws will be rolled back, how many rights will be taken away, and what life will look like for my daughter when she’s older. I worry about if I’ll be able to afford moving across the country, a wish of mine, or even out of my parents house without help.