According to The Washington Post exit polls, 92% of Black women voted for Kamala Harris to be president. Other polls also indicated that more than 90% of Black women voted for Harris. While the number of Black women voting for Harris is overwhelming, it took large numbers of other women and men to generate the number of votes the candidate received. I’m especially grateful that women showed what enthusiasm and sisterhood could accomplish. All who voted for Harris should feel proud of what we accomplished.
Pride aside, no one should be surprised that those men and women who worked to get Harris elected were let down after the election. “Let down” is surely an understatement for those who pushed a boulder up a mountain higher than they thought was possible. When it came crashing back down, many dedicated Black women, in particular, felt crushed.
People react to disappointment in different ways. Some are angry and get some kind of release in blaming those who didn’t help with the nearly impossible task. Some are disillusioned and blame themselves for daring to hope when the system never changes. Some are speaking out about not participating in what they see as futile efforts in a nation that hates them and is rigged against them.
We can’t ignore the overwhelming feelings of anger and frustration after so much effort and hope has been expended toward what was an incredible goal of electing our candidate as president of the United States. Although our feelings and reactions are as varied as we are as individuals, we are similar and consistent in not succumbing to what others might see as defeat.
Like any powerful fighters, taking time to rest and regroup is natural and necessary in order to come back strong to fight another day.
Gwen Dungy 