My Election Day Reflection

On unity, division, and the hope of finding common ground.

Proud to Be an American

It’s Election Day, and I can’t not mention it. I’m also wrapping up our book tour, with only one last stop this week.

Robert and I were actually on tour for Design Fix—our fourth book—during the 2016 election, right when it was Trump vs. Hillary. Now, with our fifth book, we're traveling again during another pivotal election. It’s tricky timing for sure—when you're out there talking design and real estate, not politics—but we’ve enjoyed being on the road both times.

What stood out in 2016 was just how divided our country felt. Traveling from state to state, we’d hear from people on both sides of the aisle—Republican, Democrat, you name it. I loved hearing perspectives from everyone, from taxi drivers to hotel bellmen to bartenders. People shared their stories, their beliefs, and we listened. This time around? Well, it's no different—or, honestly, it feels even tougher. How can the United States be so divided? I ask myself this all the time. Why can’t we find common ground? Don’t we all want a good job, quality education for our kids, and access to healthcare? Why are we so rattled by people who are different from us?

When I visited the JFK Museum in Boston this year, I was fascinated to see how southern states were once solidly Democratic back in 1961, and now they lean Republican. Our country shifts and changes over time. After 9/11, we were more united than ever. So what’s happened? When I think back to my childhood, there was a feeling of balance—everyone watched the same news, and we seemed to share a common thread. Now, it feels like misinformation and division have us tangled in knots. How did we get so tired and torn apart?

I’m grateful to be an American. My parents didn’t go to college, but they worked hard and built a good life, and I’m a self-taught designer myself. This country makes dreams possible. So why are we pushing each other away for simply being different? I hope we can find our way back to the middle—to a place where extremes don’t pull us apart.

Today, I’m thinking of everyone in our country, and around the world. I’m proud to be an American. Let’s find that common ground.