Today’s inauguration marks a highly meaningful turning point for the United States civil society. Much of the social progress we’ve made in the past sixty years is being reexamined and will likely be undermined, both radically and incrementally, by the new administration. The scope of this threat is broad, and the implications are complex, and my usual response to issues of this scale is to freeze and sit on my hands. But now I’m pledging to do differently, to take action and make a difference where I can. I believe that I can influence issues and decisions at the community level; today I’m making a move by writing a letter to the mayor of the town where I used to live and to which I hope to return one day, to talk about the important decisions I hope the town leaders make to ensure that the community remains diverse, welcoming and inclusive.