Do not despair. Do not give up. We must continue to fight.

The LGBTQ community has faced long odds before and triumphed. Now, more than ever, we must find comfort in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

The road ahead will be difficult. Donald Trump is president, and he won the popular vote. This reality may seem disheartening, but we know how to fight back even when the odds are stacked against us — even when we’re unpopular.

Over the next four years, we can expect setbacks, especially for our trans siblings. Already, there are efforts to divide us — to drive a wedge between the LGB and TQ parts of our community.

We cannot let that happen.

We are stronger together. Our power lies in our unity, in walking hand-in-hand, resisting those who seek to diminish or erase us.

We’ve faced villains before. Anita Bryant battled us here in South Florida. She won, yes — but at what cost? She lost everything: her fame, her fortune, even her marriage.

History reminds us that those who stand on the wrong side of justice often pay a heavy price.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to recognize same-sex marriage. Later that year, 13 states banned it. Did we give up? No. We organized. We kept fighting. And by 2012, for the first time, voters in three states legalized same-sex marriage through the ballot box.

The tides can turn quickly in America. Let our wins and losses guide us through the next four years.

Do not despair. Do not give up. When we fight, we win.