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2020 has been one for the history books. We are in the midst of a pandemic that continues to surge with failed national leadership intent on ignoring its devastation on communities of color. We’ve marched and protested for our right to simply BREATHE. There was a lot at stake in this election, and Black women understood this clearly. The black turnout in Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia helped to ensure that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the first Black and East Asian Vice-President, were elected.
Black women deserve credit for this win. We made it happen. Black women like Stacey Abrams that founded Fair Fight to “promote fair elections in Georgia and around the country.”Black women like LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter whose goal is to “increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities.” These women made a huge impact and were joined by countless Black women doing their part to make America better. Black women that encouraged their family and friends to vote, offered rides to and from the polls and worked tirelessly to educate their children on the importance of this election.
Taylor Crumpton of the Washington Post states, “more than 90 percent of Black women voted for the Democratic candidate, and that’s not even to mention all the work they did for voter registration and turnout. Black women are the country’s most powerful political force.”
But the fight isn’t over. There are still too many issues that negatively affect our quality of life and well-being from high maternal and infant mortality to pay inequality. We must continue to recognize and use our power to make this world a better place for our children and our children’s children. Not only must we continue to vote in national elections but in local elections that have a direct impact on our quality of life. We’ve shown what we can do now let's continue to do it.
“I want to speak directly to the Black women in our country. Thank you. You are too often overlooked, and yet are asked time and again to step up and be the backbone of our democracy. We could not have done this without you.”Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Kirstie Myvett is a Nola mom and author of the newly released children’s book, “PRALINE LADY.” You can learn more about her at kirstiemyvett.com.