Footnotes
What's Next
This is why your quiet hope matters. You phone banked. You canvassed. You believed while the pundits were still questioning. You voted in primaries. You voted in midterms. You spoke out on socials. You galvanized your actual social circles. You did you're homework. You attended fundraisers. You wrote letters. You joined newsletters. You paid attention. You stayed in it. You refused to look away. You stared evil in the face and said, "No."
And what happened?
Two Black women are governors for the first time in American history.
Two Latinx governors voted in during the era of ICE.
The first out gay man will serve in the Senate.
The first Muslim Senator will take his place representing Michigan.
New Mexico voted in the first Native American governor.
And Minnesota brings us the first Native American Senator.
Wisconsin comes through voting in its first Black man as Governor.
Nevada voted for its first Black governor and the first Black governor west of the Mississippi.
Ohio elects its first female governor.
Texas flipped blue.
Major wins in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Mississippi is one of the last places to be called.
Louisiana and Florida came very close to flipping Senate seats.
Gerrymandering didn't work in 11 districts, so far.
Juliana Stratton's win in Illinois will mark the first time 3 Black women serve at the same time in the Senate.
And a bunch of historic wins in the House.
YOU DID THAT.
So I have only one question... What's next?
What do you want next? Closed detention centers. Healthcare for all. Abortion rights. Abolishment of ICE. Elimination of punishments for DEI initiatives. No more bombs. End wars. Looking for some subpoenas? Want some hearings? How about trans rights? Environmental justice for anyone?
Who are you already looking to for 2028. I'll be sending Angie Nixon some money as she has already announced that she'll be running again.
What's next?
Above all, this was a win for the power of the people. You were not defeated by billionaires. You were not defeated by gerrymandering and political games. You were not defeated by lies. You were not defeated by tech. You were not defeated by bots.
Even in places that weren't able to eek out a win, your coming as close as you did MATTERS. You did not take steps backward. You changed the status quo. You made what has been considered impossible, possible.
So... what's next?
(I'm supposed to be reaching out to ask you to support my newest project on uncovering Black stories in the 1960s riots. But I'm so excited about what we have done, that I can hardly sit still. So I'll just say that it would mean a lot if youre able to check it out and give. But today is a day of celebration. Today is a day to breathe. Today is a day to build on.)
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