Thousands of New Yorkers have pledged to commute with people who fear harassment after the election, and it is such a powerful example of solidarity

The results of the presidential election have left many citizens feeling some pretty complicated and intense emotions — confusion, anger, apprehension, and even sadness and fear for what’s in store for them throughout president-elect Donald Trump’s four years in office.

In a beautiful and direct stand against hate, thousands of New Yorkers are pledging to commute with people who fear being targeted in acts of violence following the election. And sadly, there has been a significant increase in post-election harassment and targeted violence, specifically towards marginalized communities.

Kayla Santosuosso, who is the deputy director of the New York Arab American Association, was inspired into action after she got a message about a woman on the subway who was harassed.

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She had the idea for a buddy system, specifically for the people who are most vulnerable to being targeted in hate crimes. After posting a Google doc on social media, she was met with an outpouring of responses from fellow New Yorkers -- with more than 7,000 people signing up, just at the time of this publication.

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The power of social media and the desire to channel frustration into direct change is what makes these efforts so successful, and why so many folks are stepping up as allies.

But Santosuosso isn’t stopping there — she’s urging more people to get involved in their own communities as well. Despite all of the hardship that is on the horizon for us under a Trump presidency, it’s inspiring to see the push for change starting with our own neighbors.