As we watch the 2024 election results unfold, it’s natural to feel a range of emotions—from anger and disappointment, to concern and worry about the road ahead. The results just highlighted the misogynoir that affects the majority of us on a daily basis. The people of the U.S. were given a choice and doubled down on white supremacy and hatred. We want to affirm that your feelings are valid, and important; we honor them.
We are incredibly proud of our PWN members, volunteers, and national staff who showed up in ways beyond our wildest imagination, working through the pain and exhaustion and bringing joy and hope with them every step of the way. Through their efforts, we knocked on over 100,000 doors and called over 300,000 voters to build power in our communities, educate folks about the issues that matter to us, and get out the vote. On Election Day, our teams showed up and out like never before–from withstanding freezing temperatures as we supported voters in long lines in Colorado, to hosting parties at the polls complete with bounce houses and cookouts in Philadelphia. We monitored polls under heavy rains in Texas, providing food and encouragement for community members.
We gave it our all to ensure that our voices were heard, and it hurts that our efforts were not rewarded with any semblance of the liberation we seek. We see the work, and we see the hurt; we see the tired. The tired of having to always be resilient, of “mourning today and fighting tomorrow,” of picking up the pieces of our broken dreams and carrying on. But that doesn’t mean we give up. There’s too much at stake for our people. We have to keep going, have to keep fighting, have to keep elevating the leadership of Black women and trans women, who proved yesterday–and always–that they are the future we deserve.
Those who oppose our very existence and survival will try to wear us down, but we must not be deterred. No matter who holds office, our resolve stands firm. We will continue to fight against anti-Blackness, transmisia, xenophobia, sexism, ableism, misogynoir, racism, homophobia, HIV stigma, and all forms of injustice that impact our communities, until we are all free.
Allies and accomplices, here is your call to action. Now is the time for you to step up–let the most marginalized of us conserve energy for self care, and work harder for us than ever before. We don’t have the option to quit fighting, so neither should you. We know that our oppressions are interconnected, and so is our liberation.
Our strength lies in our shared resilience, mutual support, and unwavering vision of a brighter, inclusive future. We’ve always known voting is just harm reduction, just one of many tools in our tool belt. We’ve always known the government and the systems of oppression already in place were not going to liberate us—we will liberate us.
We urge you now to take the time, feel the feelings, reach out to one another for support. You are not alone. And, as we move forward, to stay engaged with us and help us keep building the world we envision together–one where all our lives are valued and respected.
With the audacity of hope,
Marnina Miller & Keiva Lei Cadena
Co-Executive Directors, Positive Women’s Network-USA
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