January 25, 2021 Guest Submission As an eternal optimist, I believe people from different backgrounds and beliefs not only can work together, but this is how true progress happens and a better world is built. It became harder for me to keep this mindset during the past year seeing the division in the country grow deeper surrounding criticism of the BLM, politicization of COVID-19 protocols, the Presidential election, the insurrection on the United States Capitol, and, in the last few days, the need for a heavy National Guard presence at the Texas Capitol. Fear and imposter syndrome had begun to rise in me with questions like,