With the Midterm elections around the corner and the importance of Democrats having control over Congress, black women filling these seats will finally lead to change for us by us.
Am I being a bit overzealous? I don’t think so. Once again black women are taking a stand in this political climate. First, we marched to the polls in the 2016 election in overwhelmingly large numbers and voted in hopes to save this country from the turmoil we are facing today. Though the results did not sway in our favor, we did not go home and cry.
Actually, some of us may have shed a tear but with resiliency laced in our bones we came together and decided that we would demand a seat at the table. Having a seat at the table gives hope to change in legislation that directly affects the black and brown community.
Leaders Discussing The Issues
Black women are discussing the issues that concern all voters, while unapologetically talking about the inequality and racial injustice that we face every day. Let’s take a look at a few women who are running for office. Ayanna Pressley will potentially become the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress. She has expressed that she will be fighting for economic inequality, the wealth and wage gap, structural racism, and gun violence. She understands that the 7th congressional district is the most diverse district in Massachusetts yet the most unequal in the country.
Lucy McBath who is running to represent Georgia’s 6th District in Congress, started this race from a passion to change gun laws after, a white man in Florida decided his disdain for loud music was enough reason to kill her son. One thing she plans to dispute is the “stand your ground law” which has only failed to protect black women and shown justification for murdering black men. Each of us can relate to the fear of sending a loved one out the door to possibly be gunned down in the streets; just because of the color of his/her skin, having someone like McBath at the table ensures that our concerns are being heard.
We also have Stacey Abrams who stands to make history next month as Georgia’s first black female governor in U.S. history. She has rallied in the communities that often get overlooked in major campaigns because she is aware that her people are the ones that need to come out and vote. Ms. Abrams has built her campaign on educating and mobilizing thousands of new voters in communities of color and targeting the youth. She is fighting for a public Education funding increase and the expansion of Medicaid for underserved Georgians. She also has a criminal justice plan which advocates community policing and reducing the prison population.
Historical and transformative
Her seat at the table would be both historical and transformative. If there was any question as to the validity of my last statement, we can pay attention to the overt attempt of voter suppression by her opponent, as his office has decided to freeze over 50,000 voter registrations due to “invalid information”.
One such instance of the reported “invalid information” has been described as a name that appears with a hyphen on DMV issued identification, whereas the voter registration card may be missing this hyphen. But don’t worry Ms. Abrams was already prepared for such antics as she is still hitting the ground and calling all to reach out and bring more voters to the polls.
There are several other black women who are candidates fighting to represent a change in our communities and in this country. There is a site that has been developed by a group of black women to help guide us and provide pertinent information on all of the remarkable black women running for office. Take a moment and head to http://blackher.us/black-womans-guide-to-the-2018-midterms/ to get more information on other black women who are running for a seat in your state.
Changing the Narrative
The word Politics and any word or phrase associated with it has always left a nasty taste in my mouth ever since I was young. I have never been politically inclined, but vote, Vote, and Vote is the constant word that I find myself saying in every conversation or typing in every post. I’m not just advertising that we vote because we absolutely need to but also, because I actually trust that the candidates will have my best interest at heart.
The candidates look like me and share pain and fear that culturally is felt amongst the black community and amongst black women. Let’s state the truth, black women are the backbone of this country, while simultaneously being the most disrespected persons in America. Black women running for office means I can trust that legislation can be changed and it will benefit all communities.
Not to mention black women running for office can encourage our people to come out to the polls and inspire our children to get involved in politics, which can ultimately change how future elections are run. Mrs. Pressley has consistently emphasized the importance of representation amongst voters during her campaign, she notes, “the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.” If the most disrespected person in America is still the black woman then, no one deserves a seat at the table more than us.
