Post-Election Day Statement: For All The Mornings After
by Liz Jansen
I’m gonna be honest. I kept putting this off. I kept thinking about the different directions this could and should take, all of the items to discuss and cover, the complex set of feelings it would need to capture. I even kicked around the idea of two statements—one for if Harris won, one for if Trump won. Essentially, I was doing my Virgo rising best to let perfectionism perpetuate procrastination.
Eventually I realized the work and ethos of Women Unite! don’t hinge on the presidential election. Now don’t get me wrong, I think the presidential election has a felt impact on people’s lives. I think voting at any level is an important form of harm-reduction that can make the critical work of systems change and community-driven organizing harder or easier. But, I also believe that transformative justice and repair don’t happen from the top-down and therefore will never happen through voting and electoral politics alone.
With this in mind, it was a choice to avoid focusing on the outcome of the election. In fact, I wrote and scheduled this statement before the results were even in (hi, future me!). Why? Because the election, while important, isn’t the solution. No matter who is in office, we stand steadfast in our commitment to use what we have to do what we can. No matter who is in office, we remain committed to making our world a more just, more compassionate place.
Eight years ago, some big bad stuff happened. Today, in this moment, big bad stuff is happening. Guess what, during the next election cycle, big bad stuff will be happening. But you know what? Just like bad stuff, good stuff is also a constant part of our past, present, and future. It was, is, and will be.
We see this in the story of Women Unite!. Looking back at 2016, founding board member, Sterling Haukom Anderson writes:
During that day [November 9, 2016], my friends and I were texting back and forth a lot, but after the initial shock wore off, something pretty wonderful happened. We started Women Unite!. I don’t think any of us could have predicted that this little text thread of five best friends complaining about the election would turn into something so amazing.
I share this not to brag about our work or organization but to emphasize the relationships, impact, and community (aka “the good”) that came out of the 2016 election (i.e. “the bad”).
As we move through the rest of this week, the rest of this year, and all the days, weeks, and years ahead of us, my hope is that we cling to and celebrate the good in spite of the bad. My hope is that all elections, regardless of the outcome, inspire us to stay kind, generous, and radical.
