I am an artist living in New York, and on Nov. 9, the day after Donald Trump was elected president, I decided to bring “Subway Therapy,” my ongoing immersive project, to 14th Street-6th Avenue station in Manhattan.
Subway Therapy began nine months ago, when I sat outside with a book that people could write their secrets in. I had a little sign that said Secret Keeper until 6 months ago when I changed the name. I usually don’t bring any materials outside the table, chairs, and wall art but after the election, I wanted people to be able to express themselves non-verbally.
The last couple days have been stressful and I wanted to provide people with an opportunity to engage in a small and easy way. It gave people an outlet to express their hopes and fears in a safe space. It started out slowly, but quickly turned into something incredible. I am amazed by humanity. People from all over the world participated and at the end of the first day there were about 2,000 intentions displayed for anyone to see.
It brought people to tears, and I watched the community support each other. It is important in these times of division, fear and stress to understand that in the end we are all on the same team. I believe people grow through dynamic conversation and action. While the election results may be troubling for many, I think it is imperative to keep in mind we need to stand together.
Do not just be upset. Do not just be angry. Do not just be fearful. Do not let your energy and power go to waste. Do something that is good. Encourage healthy conversation. Be good to one another. Do something that helps people to understand each other. Channel your energy into something that will bring people together. If I can do it, you can do it.
Here are some of the intentions people left:
A version of this post originally appeared on Subway Therapy.