Part Two: I Ain’t Sorry.

I wrote my very first piece, Get Out of My Damn Chair in anger here on April 1st, 2016. It was a demand for a seat in the US Senate for Black women. Spoiler alert: of the two races I mentioned last time around, we just lost the chance at one.

I work in electoral politics for a living, but I was not formally working on the Donna Edwards for Senate campaign in Maryland when I last wrote. In fact, let’s get this out of the way, my thoughts here are mine only and not reflective of any client or campaign.

Higher Heights, a political action committee working to elect Black women put together a group of political operatives to support Donna in the month leading up to the election. I happily joined Congresswoman Edwards on the road the seven days leading up to Election Day.

I picked Donna up every day around 5:30am in a silver Chevy Suburban packed with water, fruit, chocolate and literature adorned with her smiling face on it.

Let me tell you, Donna Edwards is hilarious. We belly laughed most of the time on a freeway stretch moving from one end of Maryland to another. She knows every exit, twist, and turn of the streets. She drinks her coffee black and prefers the praise station if the radio is on. Her shoulders relax when her son is near. She is more brilliant, more real, more visionary than I had imagined.

Despite what the comment section of your favorite political gossip column says, in Maryland, people love Donna. Our car was consistently swarmed. Black girls said “I can’t believe I met Donna Edwards” in awe after taking a selfie.

I’m not here to be nostalgic though. She is amazing and will be fine.

I’m still here to get what’s mine.

Because you’re still in the way, gatekeepers.

After the race was called for the opponent, Donna walked through a crowd of teary-eyed supporters screaming her name. She said what legions of people said before her, say in the streets and around their kitchen tables: Democratic party, we are not here for window dressing. She asked us to “call the question.”

Hey gatekeepers! I have questions.

To the national media, namely The Washington Post editorial board, national progressive organizations, Democratic Party leadership, CBC PAC and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, to all the white guys protecting power, all the #imwithher but #nottheblackone who made it their part-time job to get in the way, you must be proud. *slow clap*

Sooo, what’s your plan from here? You have one, right?

When individual leaders and institutions destroy a Black woman’s record and credibility as a way to confuse voters and manipulate the electoral process…..that MUST mean there’s a plan b?

No? Black women out in the cold again.

The simple truth of this race is that Congresswoman Edwards won her seat in 2008 after engaging in the primary process with an incumbent Black male Democrat. Which as I mentioned before, is the best way women and people of color access elected seats. She was re-elected four times by the voters of her district. It was other elected voices who couldn’t let her forget that she defeated their friend. When folks say “the establishment” they are talking about people who make it their job to protect power. That is who had their final say in this election.

Look gatekeepers, we’re sick of hearing about gossip. We’re sick of hearing she (insert name of qualified brilliant Black woman here) didn’t hug someone long enough or was challenging to work with. You think you’re the first to say that? You thought that claim was unique to the way you experience Black women’s power? Nah, not original. You’re reading from the script that built this whole damn system.

Stop saying stuff like “look at all the Black women over there who don’t like her.” Mmm, wealthy white landowning man turns people with less power than him against each other. What a revolutionary concept, gatekeepers. Tell me again how proud you are of Harriet Tubman on the twenty dollar bill?

Hey Black women, raise your hand if you’ve ever asked for a promotion and were called difficult? Even by other people who look like you. Okay den.

Even your Mama has heard that line.

I’ve never, ever, worked with a Black woman candidate who hasn’t been called difficult. It is the go-to gatekeeper language.

The way you’ve behaved is embarrassing. Your language is racist and sexist and out-of-touch. It is no wonder brave young organizers don’t want you at their planning meetings or on their microphones.

You scream “get off the sidelines” while building a concrete fence around the field.

Dear gatekeepers: It’s been twenty years. What’s your plan? You’ve got a line of candidates around the block we can count on, right? You’ve got maps out ensuring we are building a reflective Democracy, right?

I know very well that you don’t. WHO ARE YOU WAITING ON?

Send out a snap when you find them, kay? I want to put on my gold sequin dress and get my hair curled for this magical unicorn.

In this race, you said you don’t like “identity politics.” Funny, because you sure tout it when claiming our voting bloc after winning seats for you. Race and gender are socially constructed to establish hierarchies of power — and we are legislated based on that daily. Just as it is man-made, so are the concrete pillars that race and gender has created around our lives. The only ones who have the privilege of not talking about identity somehow hold all the power.

Hey gatekeepers, are you over us the way we are over you? You’ve made it clear you don’t want us around. You know, the Tea Party didn’t use an official ballot line to call the question of their party.

Mmmm.

The #lemonade party perhaps? For people of color leaders who quench our thirst when being brilliant isn’t enough. For the voters who are betrayed after showing such loyalty. For the “difficult” ones. For when the kool-aid you’re serving isn’t bitter enough.

I have gotten calls and texts to “go easy on my public opinions of this race,” to “not hitch my wagon so strongly,” to “be careful.”

Let me be as clear as possible, I would rather sell iced tea from a stand on the side of the road than defend this behavior. My worth isn’t connected to you inviting me to happy hours.

Who is careful with Black women? Who will love us for real? Not that chosen one, easily digestible, trained in your talking points one. All of us.

Bravo, you protected white male power again. Well, keep your keys, gatekeepers.

Your doors aren’t the only entry point.

…

At the end of election night, I prepared to take Congresswoman Edwards home one last time. I looked around and said “do we need to take anything else?”

Her eyes scanning the room, fell on the beverage table “wait, is that lemonade?”

Why yes. Yes it is.

P.S. I’m working with racial justice focused people of color organizations to recruit candidates and win through The Pathway Project. Ready? Send me a note through threepointstrategies.org.

What’d I say? Get out of my damn chair.