It starts with a bang.

That’s how most mass shootings start. A loud bang, followed by several more loud bangs, indicative to those nearby that something terrible is taking place. Shortly after, the sirens start. And then the push notifications from news outlets. And then the social media commentaries. And then the Facebook profile picture filters.

It’s like clockwork, really.

While I have seen my fair share of devastating mass killings in my 21 short years on this planet, there was nothing quite like what I experienced Saturday, when I found out a shooting had taken place in my hometown of Pittsburgh. I suppose I wasn’t fully surprised, though. I knew eventually the fiery violence in this country would make its way to my sweet city, adding it to the list of cities already impacted by mass shootings.

The massacre that took place was a hate crime, specifically targeting those in the Jewish community. According to a report done by CNN, the alleged shooter had been posting anti-Semitic slander on his social media pages. After the killing, he said he wanted all Jews to die and that “they (Jews) were committing genocide to his people.”

When I read that statement, my eyes immediately filled up with tears. It was a feeling and a narrative all too familiar to me.

At the end of this past summer, I visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. While at the museum, my emotions took over as I learned about how terrible these people could be – how they could hate and brutally kill an entire group of people just because of their beliefs or the color of their skin.

Part of me wants to say that history repeats itself, but I think in order for something to repeat, it has to stop in the first place. Hate is a problem that has been swept under the rug for too long. Some say things like racism, sexism, xenophobia or hate no longer exist.

After the gruesome events that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue Saturday, I hope those people are convinced otherwise.

I believe that at the root of all the violence in our country is a level of hate – a wound that desperately needs to be tended to. But how?

Well, the first step is heading to the polls Nov. 6. Many politicians have already responded to the shooting via social media posts or public statements. It’s clear where some of them stand.

Perhaps it could also be valuable to look into certain politicians’ beliefs on gun control. No matter what your stance is, you can’t deny that guns are part of the problem. Pittsburgh’s Mayor Bill Peduto put it best when he called guns the “common denominator.” Depending on who is voted into office, that could change.

Even further than the polls, I think what we need to do is come together as a country. The judgment, prejudices and incessant hate needs to stop. When mass shootings and acts of hate happen, don’t just offer thoughts and prayers. When someone uses racial slurs or posts something derogatory online, don’t ignore it. Say something.

We must begin to love one another and understand that underneath our religions, nationalities, genders, sexual preferences and skin color, we are all human beings.

If we, as a society, can move towards love, this story can end with an even bigger bang: change.