Otaifah, an Aurora resident, immigrated to the United States from Iraq in 2015, and since President Donald Trump was elected, she says, she has been living in fear.

“I’ve been living in insecurity, in fear and with anxiety for four years as the possibility of being deported any day was real,” she told The Denver Gazette while dressed in a shirt with the American Flag, and a Biden-Harris flag draped over her back. “Today is a day of celebration. For freedom, equality, dignity and respect.”

Otaifah was one of hundreds of people who flocked to downtown Denver Saturday to celebrate the victory of President-Elect Joe Biden. 

Vehicles circled up Lincoln Street and down Broadway honking in celebration. Some passengers poked their heads outside the sunroofs and windows, waving flags and shouting. Families, friends and groups of people – while wearing masks – shouted in support of the president-elect. 

People popped champagne bottles and drank wine while celebrating, some people cried while others danced on the steps of the State Capitol.

“Today just feels like a breath of fresh air,” said Denver resident John Warner, who was dancing on the steps of the Capitol in a blue Speedo with stars on it. “The last time I was downtown was for the Black Lives Matter protests and this feeling is just the polar opposite, but that doesn’t mean those issues are going away, but today is a time to celebrate change.”

Amid the celebrations, around 40 Trump supporters stood their ground and insisted the election wasn’t over. 

“I’m sick of the lies and deception, bro. I’m ready for patriotism to come back in America and not communism,” said Trevor Knoedler, a Denver resident. 

Supports of the president held signs that read “stop voter fraud,” “stop the steal,” and “count legal votes.”

“They’re trying to take (the president) down at every turn, at a time when everything feels great in this country,” said Lisa Jenkins, a resident of Englewood.

As more supporters of both groups began to arrive, troopers from the Colorado State Patrol placed themselves between the two groups. There were shouts and gestures on both sides but the situation stayed under control.

At Cheesman Park, a bit over a mile to the east, hundreds gathered on socially distance picnic blankets to celebrate the occasion and listen to several speakers including Iman Jodeh, who on Tuesday became the first Muslim, Arab woman to be elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. 

“Lovers of democracy, we did it,” Jodeh yelled to the crowd Saturday afternoon

Reid Brown, a Denver resident, said he was attending the event hosted by Voters Decide, to celebrate democracy.

“I am very enthusiastic about democracy and how its a system that allows all people to work together for progress, and make things in our country better for the majority,” Brown said while wearing a Biden-Harris shirt with a copy of the United States Constitution tied around his LBGTQ+ flag. 

France and Caroline Markey – 15-year-old twins – are not being old enough to vote, but they said one of their biggest hopes for the country is to unite.

“We now have someone in the White House whose going to take leadership in this country and hopefully bring us back together,” said France Markey.

Both twins said they came to celebrate the day because “everyone’s future was at stake.”

“This election is one of the biggest in American history, and it’s going to decide what our world will look like when we’re adults,” Caroline Markey said.

And in the case of Otaifah, whose process of becoming a citizen has been pushed back two years because of COVID-19, she says her hope has been restored.

“We’re not going to see anymore bullying or speeches of colossal hated anymore,” she said. “We’re going to see speeches that hopefully unite us as a country and don’t make people like myself live in fear.”

This story has been updated to correct the country from which Zara Otaifah emigrated. She came from Iraq.