In honor of the inauguration, Marie Claire's editorial series "Moving Forward" asks influential and politically active women to examine what the incoming administration should and can do to reconcile this increasingly divided country.

The United States is breathing a sigh of relief having temporarily intervened in the greatest threat to humanity in a generation. But even as we breathe deeply for the first time in years, we face the repercussions of our victory. We have no choice but to continue our relentless efforts to finish what we started.

This year's presidential election has driven more people to the polls (open in new tab) than almost any other election in history. For some, it was a rematch: in 2016, many voters thought Donald Trump could never be elected. After being proven wrong, some voters vowed never again to allow opportunistic politicians to take advantage of their complacency. After a summer of marches and unrest related to racial injustice and terrorism, some saw the opportunity to vote as a way to show that they cared most.

For too many, however, participating in this election was driven by a desire to return to normalcy and resume business as usual. Indeed, 2020 was not a desirable year. And for those who lost their jobs, missed gatherings with friends and family, and lost friends and family to COVID-19, this election may have seemed closer to Oz. Perhaps for some, the equation was simple: vote this time because there is a real threat in front of us. And once we see that there is someone who can reassure us a bit, we too might return to our pre-election concerns.

This is perhaps the most dangerous notion of all: that voting for a new administration means a return to "normal."

White supremacists supporting President Trump have stormed Capitol Hill with the intent of nullifying the results of the presidential election and kidnapping or harming members of Congress. In fact, the situation was not good even before the pandemic broke out, and it was certainly subtle even before Trump was elected. White supremacy has always been the norm in this country, and the riots at the Capitol were not the first sign of that. Just a year into Trump's presidency, racists marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, with tiki torches, shouting "Jews will not replace us." Trump called Haiti a "shithole country." He had Steven Miller draft an immigration policy that put families in cages and permanently separated mothers and children, resulting in a child and father being found dead in a river near the border. These are just a few examples from the past four years, and there have been many more before that.

Before the pandemic, we had a president who banned Muslims from entering the country. Businesses were getting richer and our families were having difficulty making ends meet. For millions of people, especially blacks living in the southern region, health care was hard to come by. Blacks were being killed by police and vigilantes, but also by government disinvestment and neglect. Before this pandemic, and before Donald Trump came on the scene, America was on the wrong track. But it should not be just an opportunity. Otherwise, four years from now, Donald Trump will be running again for a second term.

The reckoning facing this country is not just a matter of racial justice. America is deciding what we want to be, not only for ourselves, but for the world. It is time to decide whether we will move forward and act upon the painful lessons we have learned, or whether we will become complacent and shift down into an unusual normalcy. We cannot go back to ignoring politics, being unwilling to discuss politics, or dismissing politics as a "personal matter." We must hold America accountable to democracy of the people, by the people.

To all of you who are frustrated with your government and politicians, this moment was made for you. To those who suffer in silence under the weight of breathless debt, this moment was made for you; to those who lost loved ones in COVID-19, this moment is for you. This is our chance to finish what we started. If you want to live a normal life, you have no choice.

Everyone is asking what's next after the election, and my answer remains the same: bring the same energy you brought to the presidential election to your continued involvement in civic life. Stay informed about the decisions being made in your name and voice your opinion. Encourage your friends and family to make their voices heard as well. Continue to bring your voice of protest not only to the voting booth, but also to the streets. Take every opportunity to fight back against white supremacy and white nationalism What we accomplished together in November was not luck or divine intervention. It was work, and it took participation and dedication to turn our yearnings into action. The change from here is similar. Always know that whatever you leave on the table, you leave for someone else to eat.

Alicia Garza is president of Black Futures Lab, author of The Purpose of Power, and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network.