One realization we had while developing this project was that truth is not just in the facts. Sometimes it’s beyond the numbers, the tweets, the news.
Now we’re not talking about alternative facts, but the truth we found often existed in people’s experiences and their own personal truths. We chose to include creative works in our project because we believe they can speak truth just as loud as the news.
We hope you see truth in them too — even if they’re not your own.
The works here were submitted to the Project 45 team by fellow Student Media members. We requested thoughts, feelings and reactions on the rise/inauguration of President Donald Trump. The works we received varied widely from critique and heartbreak to environmentalism and toxic masculinity. Submissions are ongoing and we will continue to update this page. We encourage you to email your submissions to project45.ucsc@gmail.com.
Everyday awakening to grim eyes afraid of a disturbing, ambivalent existence
Waiting for an actual knight to cause the burning sun to rise again
Bruised and sore, our lovely ethnic child is unmotivated to commit a good in the world
Because loving intentions have been reduced to a commodified desire for power
A sense of loneliness and worry has transcended into reality from an immoral dream
Weaved from a sense of fear both just and partisan
Questionable whether or not the feeling is rational, unease is still present in many
And when appointed as a leader, the loss of hope is to be reinvigorated
Like a daydream in the middle of a breakdown, the good times have seemed like few
The Self has encountered issues in projecting itself toward the Other
A sense of community replaced by cries of anger and grief
Which will not be relieved unless pridefulness leaves our leader
Hurt is being experienced from violence and nonviolence, impacting the emotional
And the physical
Dictated by sovereignty, the misguided authoritarian fails to understand the Other
And himself
Due to a constant pursuit for the supremacy over all who are desolate and afraid
And Female
A pretense of actual wanting
Impulse has overwhelmed positive anxiety
And now what we are left with
Is loss
I
Want
To
Stare
(hard)
into Mike Pence’s
Little
eyes–
long enough to memorize their shade.
I want to watch
him
eat a burger and fries,
Lick
His
Lips,
and
let out that long,
deep,
groan
old men are prone to
after they have had enough.
I want
to hear
him
crack
his knuckles–the pops–maybe he’ll be smiling.
head back to his place,
touch
his lower back–
the hairs, liver spots, a mole–
I want to watch him dance
and strip
and then i want to pull him close
lean over
close enough to lick the ear wax,
and whisper,
Convert me.