Now, perhaps more than ever, America needs to be colorblind.

As 2016 comes to a close, we are faced with a nation more divided than it has been in decades.

And as much as some would like to deny it, the chasms ripping our country apart run primarily along multiple lines of color.

The most acrimonious presidential contest in history has — hopefully — been brought to a full resolution after Monday’s electoral college vote confirmed Donald Trump will be our next president.

Despite the outrage and misguided anger toward everyone from young voters to the Russians, the bottom line is this is what happens sometimes in free elections when neither candidate is viewed as the greatest choice.

Democracy worked.

We now have a responsibility as citizens to move on and find the common ground that will be vital to us being part of the solutions. Even if we don’t respect the man, we should respect the position of president.

Healing will never truly happen until we get away from defining ourselves along party lines and being pigeonholed by the idea that one group or another can fully encompass anyone’s unique set of beliefs.

We must also stop focusing on skin color and using it as the determining factor for anything. Our great nation was built on the melting pot concept that blends people of all races, religions, ethnic backgrounds and nationalities.

Our country has to have serious conversations about equality and work to ensure all Americans, regardless of skin color or any other labeling characteristics, are treated fairly and given equal opportunities to succeed in life.

We should never be viewed as black Americans or white Americans. We are all simply Americans. We must stop thinking of ourselves as “red” states or “blue” states and truly become the “United” States once again.