temp check.

November 5, 2020

I am writing this from a patch of sunlight in our apartment. I’m no good at waiting, but the sunshine is helping and so, embarrassingly, is the insipid sticky note I smacked on the wall reminding myself to breathe.

Some good things I know:

Our Covid tests came back negative.

On Election Night I wore a t-shirt with drawings of congresswomen. My kids love to point their fingers at the women’s faces and call out their names: Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Deb Haaland, Sharice Davids, Katie Porter… Yesterday morning I woke up to tell them they’ll all be returning to Congress.

In Delaware, Sarah McBride will become the first openly transgender person to serve as a state senator.

In Oklahoma, Mauree Turner will be the first non-binary state lawmaker and the first Muslim in the State House.

From New York, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones will be the first two openly gay and Black members of Congress and across the country a total of thirty-five openly LGBTQ candidates won their races.

Jamaal Bowman unseated a longtime rep and won a New York House seat on a platform supporting Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.

In Georgia, Reverend Raphael Warnock’s Senate race is going to a runoff that he can win.

Organizers in this state got 250,000 people and counting to vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the Working Families party line.

There’s universal preschool headed to Multnomah County in Oregon and there’s family and medical leave headed to Colorado, and there’s a $15 minimum wage coming to Florida. In the five states with cannabis reform on the ballot, those measures passed.

Everywhere, ballots are still being counted.

Last night, Stacey Abrams addressed a call with the Working Families Party: “Justice,” she reminded us, “has no timetable. Justice just has a destination and that is the future.” Onward, onward, onward.

You Might Also Like

29 Comments

  • Reply Maggie November 5, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    In California, parolees have had their voting rights restored!

    24
    • Reply Millie November 5, 2020 at 6:16 pm

      Yes! This is a big deal!

      4
  • Reply Megan November 5, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    Colorado may also begin re-introducing Grey Wolves. Breathe in breathe out.

    13
  • Reply Jen James November 5, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    Thank you for this–an inspiring and grounding appreciation in this unsettling/shaky ground time.

    Another good reminder: “Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on.”

    2
  • Reply Jan November 5, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    Thank you for this EXCELLENT informative post!!!!!!!!!

    1
  • Reply Jessica November 5, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    It’s too slow for my liking but we are making progress…

    0
  • Reply Tamara Gundersen November 5, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Jess Benham has autism and was elected to the PA State Representatives. She’s also part of LGBTQ community.. I’m excited to see someone neurodiverse elected.

    19
  • Reply Dee November 5, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    My state, NM, elected three women of color to the US House of Reps: two Native American, one Latina.

    13
    • Reply Nato November 6, 2020 at 12:27 am

      Unfortunately, one of the two represents the party of racism and hatred

      0
  • Reply Eef November 5, 2020 at 5:58 pm

    I’m thinking of you over here. Crossing my fingers for a safe couple of hours and a somehow positive outcome tomorrow morning (its almost midnight here in The Netherlands)!

    2
  • Reply Ess-Kay November 5, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    So very excited to for Sarah McBride’s win in our tiny state of Delaware even as I hold onto hope for election news regarding another Delawarean. Thank you, Erin, for all of the information you provided over the weeks leading up to the election.

    5
  • Reply Paige November 5, 2020 at 6:40 pm

    Cori Bush, the first Black woman from Missouri to be elected to Congress. 
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/05/cori-bush-congresswoman-st-louis-missouri-speech

    12
  • Reply Nat November 5, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    I’m so excited about Maurer Turner. Yesterday, when I heard the news about some trans folks getting elected to state office I wondered how long it would take for a nonbinary person to be a representative in government. And then I learned it had happened that very same day. What joy, to have a Black hijabi be the first nonbinary person elected to state office in this country. I can’t wait to see what they do!

    12
  • Reply Karen November 5, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    Thank you for being positive and sharing positive outcomes
    Phew
    Breathe again

    3
  • Reply Kathy November 5, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    Breathe in breathe out. This will end someday. There is alot to be excited about!

    2
  • Reply Bethany November 5, 2020 at 10:41 pm

    I needed this.

    0
  • Reply erica lorraine November 5, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    <3 I have so much faith in us humans

    0
  • Reply Tamara November 5, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    Not only did we get universal preschool in Oregon, we got the decriminalization of hard drugs plus legalization of therapeutic use of psilocybin and campaign finance reform! woohoo! Now to stop the flood of military and police in Portland after Kate Brown’s emergency order gave them sweeping powers to attack protestors. Onward!

    8
  • Reply Julia November 6, 2020 at 12:20 am

    Maine also upped the minimum wage to 15 USD/hour. 🙂

    7
  • Reply Sue November 6, 2020 at 5:46 am

    This is wonderful, so many shiny new excitingly fresh baubles on this political Christmas tree, now we just need the bright shining star on top and the old broken wooden soldier removed.

    2
  • Reply Jenny Timmreck November 6, 2020 at 6:57 am

    I pray for a kinder more informed country. Abigail Spanberger won re-election in VA. She has devoted herself to honest politics works across the isle, she is a roll model for us all.

    4
  • Reply Mary November 6, 2020 at 7:35 am

    So glad for you and your family on those negative test results! We are all breathing with you!♡

    0
  • Reply stephanie November 6, 2020 at 8:54 am

    i really really needed to hear all this good news. Thanks for sharing.

    0
  • Reply Gina S November 6, 2020 at 10:46 am

    I immediately felt lighter reading this. It’s so hard to stay focused on the progress while still in limbo but this certainly helped. Thank you

    1
  • Reply hannah November 6, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    Even though I don’t live there anymore, as someone born and raised in Georgia, I have never been more proud of my home state than I am this morning! Also, so thankful for the grace and determination of Stacey Abrams! She has done such incredible work and will continue to do so, I have no question.

    2
  • Reply Erika November 6, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    Pittsburgh voted to expand the powers of our Police Citizen Review Board. Police now have to cooperate in investigations now- huge step after a tense summer. Not done yet though.

    2
  • Reply Dianne November 6, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    All very good accomplishments!!!

    We in Canada are waiting with you…..thank you for all the terrific efforts by all of you to get where you are now!

    0
  • Reply ganching November 7, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    Thank you all for the work you did to get the right result. We all owe you all a big debt of gratitude. The world seems like a safer place tonight and here in London a lot of people are breathing huge sighs of relief.

    1
  • Reply anne November 9, 2020 at 11:48 am

    It looks like Lauren Underwood is going to pull off the re-election! I’m so excited. I’ve been making phone calls for her for months, and I’m so glad that she’s going back to congress!

    0
  • Leave a Reply to Megan Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Comments are moderated.