Hello, Democrats, and Happy Black History month!
We’ve made a point in this country of officially celebrating black achievement and excellence throughout the month of February since 1976. But, as Democrats, we should really be celebrating black folks all twelve months of the year. Why is that, you ask? Well, despite the difficulties faced by black voters, they have historically turned out to vote, and they overwhelmingly vote Democrat.
As a rule, black folks don’t vote against their own interests. This gets proven time and again with every single election. Don’t forget, it was black people — and especially black women — who turned out to vote in the Senate race in Alabama last December, and we showed up and showed out in the 2016 presidential election as well, supporting the Democratic candidate in both races. We get called the backbone of the Democratic Party — a lot; most notably and recently by Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez — and no truer words have ever been spoken. This is even more impressive when you consider the widespread voter suppression designed specifically to target communities of color. Gerrymandering, the loss of vital parts of the Voting Rights Act, strict voter ID laws, and disenfranchisement after felony convictions all play a part in making sure black people never make it to the ballot box.
And yet, many of us still do.
Did you enjoy watching Ralph Northam win the governorship in Virginia last November?
Thank black voters.
Did you breathe a sigh of relief when Doug Jones narrowly won over Roy Moore in Alabama?
Thank black voters, black women specifically, who we all know are magic.
Were you disappointed when trump won in 2016?
Well, guess who handled their collective business? If you guessed black voters, you win a prize.
We show up, and we vote democrat. So, why aren’t we regularly placed in positions of leadership? Why aren’t our issues valued across the board? Why is everyone ready to clap black women on the back for the Doug Jones victory, but disappear the instant we assert that Black Lives Matter?
What I’m suggesting is not to briefly sanctify us after every election because 98% of us voted against a child predator last December and 95% of us voted for Clinton in 2016 while 64% of white women instead voted for a train wreck. Don’t put us on a pedestal and then forget us until the next time you need us to turn out to vote. Valuing us means investing in our lives and our experiences, even in off years, even outside of the month of February. It means not recoiling or closing ranks when we attempt to take a seat at the table. It means practicing what you preach if what you preach is equality for all.
I’ve spent the last year and a half traveling almost exclusively in progressive circles. And I’ve been surprised and saddened to see how little diversity there is in many of our local groups. Contrary to popular belief, diversity doesn’t just mean looking out into a crowd and seeing a black or a brown face. It doesn’t just mean including us in pictures. It means seeing people of color in positions of leadership. It means valuing black lives and standing behind us in solidarity when we take center stage to demand equal treatment, not ushering us backstage to play a supporting role, as we’ve done since before the birth of this nation.
We’ve done a lot of desperate soul searching as a party since the devastating loss in 2016. We’ve struggled to regain our footing while simultaneously trying to figure out what happened and where everything went horribly wrong. But instead of looking behind us, we should instead focus on what’s ahead.
I submit that the answer to the question of how to win future elections lies in truly embracing equality across the Democratic Party’s platform, and that means understanding and appreciating a concept called intersectionality. I’m sure you’ve heard this term before, because it’s a buzzword that gets thrown around a great deal all of a sudden, but rarely seems to be understood.
Truly welcoming marginalized communities into the fold is the key to winning elections. We have to understand and acknowledge that inequalities based on race, class, sex, disability, gender identity, and sexual preference often intersect to increase injustice for many among us, and those voices need to be heard and valued. Not just in the month of February or during National Hispanic Heritage Month or National Pride Month or during an important election year.
Those of us who face daily discrimination on multiple fronts should be encouraged to speak, to run for office, to spearhead initiatives that will help other people who look like us. We aren’t window dressing for the Democratic Party. We are the Democratic Party. We aren’t easily swayed by artifice or tactics reminiscent of snake oil salesmen blowing through town every four years. There is power in our self-possession, our unending loyalty, our love of family, our courage to stand up in the face of widespread discrimination, and our deep reverence for this country.
We keep coming back to the Democratic Party. We aren’t showing up to the ballot box to save White America, as the news outlets reporting the Doug Jones victory would have you believe. We’re showing up to save ourselves the only way we know how — by choosing the candidate who most closely represents our interests and our values. For many of us, this is life and death, the difference between prosperity and ruin.
So, as Black History Month 2018 comes to a close, don’t let that be the end of your appreciation of black excellence and achievement. When you look around you and see no POCs in positions of leadership, ask yourself why that is. Step back when voices that don’t mirror your own are speaking, and truly listen. Instead of momentarily holding black people up after elections, try supporting them as they run for office or champion their issues. The Democratic Party will thrive when diverse voices are appreciated, encouraged, and heard. Black History is American History and American History is Black History. Our successes and failures are intertwined with your own, our futures irreversibly bound, and none of us is free until we all are.
**This is adapted from a speech I gave to my local Democratic Party
Ja naprawdę doceniam twoją pracę, Świetny post test na covid 19 test na covid 19.
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for magnificent information I was looking for this info for
my mission. 0mniartist asmr
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about asmr https://0mniartist.tumblr.com. Regards asmr 0mniartist
Excellent site you have here but I was curious about if
you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics discussed in this article?
I’d really love to be a part of online community where
I can get responses from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Kudos! asmr 0mniartist
Thɑnkfulneѕs to my father who tolɗ me concerning this blog, this web site is truulʏ awesοme.
my Ьlog: payday loans ga
local single
free dating sites
Wonderful work! This is the kind of information that are supposed to be
shared around the web. Shame on Google for no longer positioning this publish upper!
Come on over and talk over with my website . Thanks =) asmr 0mniartist
I’ll immediately seize your rss feed as I can not find your email
subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any?
Please let me understand so that I may just subscribe.
Thanks.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your blog.
You have some really good articles and I
think I would be a good asset. If you ever
want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some material for your blog in exchange
for a link back to mine. Please blast me an email if interested.
Kudos!
I like what you guys tend to be up too. Such clever work and reporting!
Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve included you guys to my
own blogroll.
I read this post completely concerning the resemblance of newest
and previous technologies, it’s awesome article.
how to use tinder , tinder date
what is tinder
It’s going to be finish of mine day, except before finish I am
reading this fantastic piece of writing to improve my experience.
Hmm it seems like your website ate my first comment
(it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted
and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything.
Do you have any tips and hints for newbie blog writers?
I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board
and I to find It truly helpful & it helped me out a
lot. I am hoping to offer something again and help others like
you aided me.
You’re so interesting! I don’t suppose I’ve read a single thing like
that before. So nice to find another person with unique thoughts on this subject.
Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This website is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with some originality!
It’s perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy.
I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest
you some interesting things or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article.
I desire to read even more things about it!
tinder online , what is tinder
tindr
tider , tinder sign up
http://tinderentrar.com/
scoliosis
Very rapidly this website will be famous among all blogging people, due to it’s nice content scoliosis
scoliosis
Hello are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog
world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you need
any html coding knowledge to make your own blog?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! scoliosis
lovoo vip apk lovoo app für pc http://lovooeinloggen.com/
scoliosis
Do you have a spam issue on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have developed
some nice procedures and we are looking to exchange techniques with other folks, why not shoot me an e-mail if
interested. scoliosis
dating sites
I’m really inspired with your writing skills as smartly as with the structure on your weblog.
Is this a paid subject or did you customize it yourself?
Either way stay up the excellent high quality writing, it’s uncommon to look a nice weblog like this one nowadays..
free dating sites https://785days.tumblr.com/
free dating sites
Excellent blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a
little lost on everything. Would you recommend starting with a
free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There
are so many choices out there that I’m completely overwhelmed ..
Any ideas? Many thanks! free dating sites
This site was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something which helped me.
Thanks a lot!
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles.
I will bookmark your blog and check again here regularly.
I’m quite certain I’ll learn plenty of new stuff right here!
Good luck for the next!
We absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to
be precisely what I’m looking for. Would you offer
guest writers to write content for yourself?
I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write regarding here.
Again, awesome blog!
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my site so i
came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to enhance my website!I
suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
I feel that is among the such a lot vital info for me.
And i’m satisfied studying your article. However wanna observation on few general things, The site style is great, the articles is in reality
excellent : D. Good task, cheers
Aw, this was a very good post. Spending some
time and actual effort to generate a really good article… but what can I say… I
procrastinate a whole lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
Hello, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your website in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has
some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a
quick heads up! Other then that, superb blog!
Definitely consider that which you stated. Your favourite reason seemed to be at
the net the easiest factor to take note of.
I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same time as other people consider worries that they plainly do not
recognise about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest as well
as defined out the entire thing with no need side-effects , folks can take a signal.
Will probably be again to get more. Thanks
What’s up, I check your new stuff like every week. Your writing style is awesome, keep it up!
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I find
It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to provide
one thing back and aid others such as you helped me.
If you are going for most excellent contents like myself, simply visit this web site all the time because it gives feature contents, thanks
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future.
All the best
Just want to say your article is as amazing. The clarity on your submit is just spectacular and that i can assume you are knowledgeable in this subject.
Well along with your permission allow me to grab your
RSS feed to keep updated with impending post. Thanks a million and please keep up the
rewarding work.
I’m curious to find out what blog system you happen to be using?
I’m having some small security problems with my latest site and I would like to find something more safeguarded.
Do you have any solutions?
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know so much about
this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think
that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit, but
other than that, this is wonderful blog. A great read. I
will definitely be back.
No matter if some one searches for his vital thing, so he/she needs to be available that in detail,
thus that thing is maintained over here.