BLACK WOMXN CARRY DEMOCRACY
“In the face of overwhelming opposition, structural inequalities, and with the odds stacked against us — Black womxn are resolute, strategic and resourceful. We know our political participation is a collective survival tactic. That is the heart of Black Girl Magic.” -Santra Denis
Over the past week we have watched as would-be voters in the thousands, largely people of color, found themselves waiting to vote in incredibly long lines, some for more than 10 hours, as early voting started in Georgia. The average wait at white suburban polling stations, a mere 6 minutes, placed the images of long lines into sharp relief. Yet, in the face of such blatant discrimination — social media has been full of tweets and retweets from those in line and news story after news story of many Black womxn who remained resolute in their commitment to voting no matter what. Womxn with children in tow, with jobs to go to, with caring duties — womxn like Viola Hardy, who got in line at 6:20 AM to vote and shared with the media that“ It doesn’t matter how long it takes…we’re voting like our life depends on it.“ Or as one Black mother was overheard telling her son after a 5 hour wait in line: “We are going to be here as long as it takes for me to vote for people who don’t want to shoot you.”
The elimination of polling stations in communities of color is just the latest in a resurgence of Jim Crow era voter suppression tactics emboldened since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision laid waste to critical federal oversight of decisions relating to elections in states with histories of discrimination. However, long lines this year are not the only obstacles facing Black womxn, in particular, when it comes to voting across the US — increased job insecurity and risks for hourly workers to find time to vote, lack of access to child care, not to mention the myriad increased pressures due to COVID-19. Despite the challenges and the underhanded tactics, Black womxn continue to demand a seat at the table.
It is time for us to all admit that Black womxn have been carrying the water for our democracy for our collective living memory — advancing groundbreaking candidacies, delivering powerful organizing of black womxn and pushing back against oppressive tactics. From Fannie Lou Hamer fighting for the right to vote in the face of police assaults to the Black womxn standing in line today — Black womxn know that voting is one critical tool in their fight for a world that values us and reflects our needs and this year we are fighting for the very soul of democracy and democratic institutions.
However, we also know that showing up to vote is only half the battle and Black womxn are out in force across other tactics. As Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, opined in 2018, “Black womxn are assessing and implementing multi-pronged organizing strategies — ways to build power, secure control over resources, and to catalyze greater societal transformation.” That vision, built on a long history of Black Womxn advancing our collective rights, calling out injustice, continues to bear fruit for our entire communities, with more Black and Brown womxn running for office than ever before, winning seats on the courts and elected offices, strolling to the polls and being heard, influencing punditry, media coverage and in general holding it down for democracy.
This weekend at Here Comes the Boom: An Assembly for Black Womxn and Girls — Black womxn from across South Florida renewed our commitment to:
- Protect ALL Black womxn
- Believe and Amplify Black Womxn Stories
- Trust Black Womxn leadership
- Support Pay Equity For Black Womxn
- Elect Black Womxn
- Elect Black Womxn
Check out the full Here Comes the Boom Wo-manifesto, here!
Defend Democracy by exercising your POWER to vote:
- Review the information on your voting record to ensure it is up to date and make a plan to vote! You can do that here.
- Stay informed about the electoral process, candidates and issues on the ballot by reviewing the Sample Ballot prior to each election. You can do that here.
- Get out to vote! Pledge your vote here.
- Connect to a political home like Miami Workers Center
- Get your friends out to vote! #SQUADGOALS!
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” -Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman elected to the U. S. Congress (1968)
2. https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/371200-black-women-are-building-democracy-in-america
