I just want to remind you all—we’re in this together!

Americans over 80 have lived through more than a third of our nation’s 250-year history. We asked them why this moment feels different. Mary Lee, 90, is one of those elders. Here's what she has to say.

Hello. My name is Mary Lee Fulkerson, and  I’m about to turn 90, which means I was five in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Everyone in the country chipped in, flattening tin cans that would become metal, tearing ration coupons for meat, sugar, gasoline, and so much more. During newsreels, the entire audience stood and cheered. We were all in it together, all the way.

That’s why I hate the division that the Trumpers have brought to America so much. They’re all about trying to say some of us are better than others—more “real Americans.” But that’s not how it should be. 

That’s why I want to continue volunteering. I have the time and the yearning to help douse the fire that’s been fueled by the current political bombshells and the climate catastrophe. As I said, I’ll be 90 this year, with a body that creaks and cracks and can’t always make up its mind. On the other hand, how can I quit now, with the country and world in such a hard place?

I believe it’s time again to join like-minded people in this huge but doable effort to bring unity back again. We’re already on the way to that bright future where each person matters. And what it takes is you and me, no matter how unqualified we feel. My fingers are crippled but I can type. My voice works and I can call people to encourage them to vote. And my walker is ready to take me to the next protest. I just want to remind you all—we’re all in this together!