in the New York subway, the “post-it theory” wards off fears linked to the presidential election

The election of Donald Trump sparked strong reactions in New York, whose residents overwhelmingly chose Kamala Harris. In order to exorcise political discomfort, metro users have adopted “post-it therapy”, placing written messages on the walls to seek comfort.

“Am I going to be expelled?”, “Get rid of Trump”. These short messages can be read in the New York subway, in the United States, since the election of Donald Trump to the White House. They are the source of “post-it therapy”, a concept allowing travelers to transcribe their fears and carry messages of hope.

Originally, the concept born in 2016 took a different form. Its inventor, Matt Chavez, only declaimed phrases transmitted by users on the subway. “It was just me talking to people. But after Trump’s first election that same year, I made it evolve,” he explained to AFP.

This Tuesday, November 5, the residents of the Big Apple voted overwhelmingly for Kamala Harris, with 80.8% of the votes in Manhattan County, 71.6% of voters in Brooklyn, 62% in Queens, and 72.7%. in the Bronx. At the state level, the Democratic candidate won the 28 major electors thanks to 55.5% of the popular vote. Not enough, however, to access the presidency, for the benefit of Donald Trump.

Since the announcement of the results, New Yorkers have been asked to express their resentment on post-it notes, which they then hang on the walls of the subway. And the initiative was a resounding success, as evidenced by several videos on social networks (see above). “I wanted to help people express themselves, share their ideas and come together. I notice that people are writing more about their fears and their fears, but also about their strength and their resilience,” commented Matt Chavez.

“Let’s be kinder”, “A convict for president”, these are the messages that were posted by travelers. Like Esra Yalcin, a graphic designer of Turkish origin, who accompanied her daughter Lia who came to stick her square of paper in the metro. “This time, we are writing to people to stay strong,” she told AFP.