On November 8, it will have been a full year since the presidential election results. A full year since our country was divided into red and blue states and Nasty Women vs. “Make America Great Again.” This election divided and created tension between friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. Everyone knows someone who voted for “the other” candidate, whoever that may be. Sometimes that might have changed people’s perspectives of who they thought that person was. Whether your vote was for the candidate that condemned “sexual harassment and racism,” or if it was for the candidate that was “hard to trust, and lacked character,” we became divided.

Forty percent of Americans have experienced tension with family or friends over the 2016 presidential election according to a survey conducted by ABC News. And a full year later, tensions are still high. With the holiday season coming up, all I can think about is what will my family even talk about at Thanksgiving dinner this year?

Last year on Thanksgiving, I found out the majority of my extended family voted for Trump in the election, and supported a lot of the things he campaigned with. At the end of the conversation, I found myself walking away angry, confused and upset, as I began texting my mom about the conversation that was had about Trump’s sexual assault allegations, and racism in America. Tears swelled in my eyes. I never thought the people that I have known for my entire life saw social issues that I thought were so important so incredibly differently. We became divided.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, my thoughts and feelings about the election have become a little less raw since last year. I am hoping to have educational and intellectual conversation with my family members about school, my post grad plans, how good the turkey is, and of course, Trump’s presidency in the last 365 days. Some things for myself and others to keep in mind while having these conversations is to listen, let your objector finish speaking before you jump in with your point of view, and you can only hope they will respectfully do the same. And remember, the person you are talking to is someone you love and care about.

Candidates come and go, but family is forever