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.
29 Comments
In California, parolees have had their voting rights restored!
Yes! This is a big deal!
Colorado may also begin re-introducing Grey Wolves. Breathe in breathe out.
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.”
Thank you for this EXCELLENT informative post!!!!!!!!!
It’s too slow for my liking but we are making progress…
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.
My state, NM, elected three women of color to the US House of Reps: two Native American, one Latina.
Unfortunately, one of the two represents the party of racism and hatred
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)!
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.
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
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!
Thank you for being positive and sharing positive outcomes
Phew
Breathe again
Breathe in breathe out. This will end someday. There is alot to be excited about!
I needed this.
<3 I have so much faith in us humans
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!
Maine also upped the minimum wage to 15 USD/hour. 🙂
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.
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.
So glad for you and your family on those negative test results! We are all breathing with you!♡
i really really needed to hear all this good news. Thanks for sharing.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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