Reasons to believe

As I sit here on the precipice of the most important election of my life (and, I would argue, the life of the United States), I’m struggling to process my feelings. The past four years have been a slog. Policies of the current administration, whether by legislation or executive order, have negatively affected every member of my family. And, the rhetoric and divisiveness has rippled through our society and hurt our people and our democracy. The destruction of what we hold dear has been catastrophic. And, as of today, more than 231,000 people in the U.S. have perished as a result of a mismanaged pandemic. I have been angry and scared and grief stricken. It is entirely too much to bear. We are not better off. We are not great. But we can be.

This Election Day, I still believe in this country. I believe in its people. And I believe that there is hope. I’ve seen it. Even amid all the ugly, there is still a reason to believe. 

Voter turnout is soaring, even as voter suppression runs rampant. People are taking heroic measures to ensure that our fellow Americans are able to vote. In a democracy, it shouldn’t be hard to vote. For anyone. And yet, some in our democracy don’t want to count every vote. They don’t want the voices of all of our citizens to be heard. But, as those suppression efforts are at play, so are the efforts of advocates who are registering voters, helping formerly incarcerated people pay the poll tax in Florida, and making sure our election is protected. There are so many ways everyday people are showing up to protect the right to vote.

Even in my non-swing state of California, my phone has been lit up nonstop with calls and text messages about issues and candidates. So many people are giving so much of themselves to preserve our democracy -- and to ensure that everyone can participate in it. That activism, that commitment, is helping me sleep (albeit fitfully) at night. It’s making me proud. And it’s giving me hope. 

To see how deeply so many of my fellow Americans care about our country, and the people in it, is why I haven’t given up yet -- even when I feel most discouraged. I have no illusions about what lies ahead, regardless of the outcome of the election. We are still in the throes of a pandemic that threatens our existence. We are still wrestling with the country’s original sin of racism and hate. We have children in cages. Our most marginalized populations’ very right to exist is under attack. 

But, still, I believe in America. This election is her greatest test. No matter what the results of this election, our work does not stop. It cannot stop. The not knowing is scary. But, regardless of the outcome, we will keep working. To restore faith. To protect our most vulnerable. To rebuild. The work will look different, depending on who wins, but the fact remains that we are equal to it. I’ve seen it. And I believe in what we can do.

My friends, I know you are exhausted. I know how hard we’ve fought. I appreciate it so much. And I’m proud to be fighting for our democracy alongside you. It’s not going to be easy. But we got this. I believe in us. I believe in U.S.