Party at the Polls
I don’t think I will ever forget how I felt standing in the crowd at the Women’s March in 2017. It was my first year of college and I had turned 18 only months before election day. As I had watched Donald Trump become the leader of the free world that fall, I felt like an IV was draining the political idealism straight out of my blood.
Standing amidst the signs, shirts, chants, and astonishing array of shades of pink had the reverse effect. In that crowd it was impossible to feel powerless — there were just too many of us.
An estimated 2.6 million around the world put their lives on pause that Saturday to hit the streets, sending the message to Washington that we were taking action, and there were lots of us. Instead of spewing hate or bemoaning helplessness, we celebrated progress and urged belief in the power of our collective voice. In the face of disappointment, we organized a party with a purpose — and invited the whole world to join.
The energy didn’t end that day. We continued to make our voices heard when we marched on behalf of gun control and when we hit the streets in support of the LGBTQ community, when NFL players got on their knees to protest police brutality and when a couple’s fundraiser to reunite an immigrant with their family went viral, raising 20 million dollars in a single week. We have not stayed silent in our efforts to influence the direction of politics.
As we approach November’s midterm elections, our numbers are just as powerful. This momentum helped us flip 15 GOP seats in Virginia, and it can help us take even more this fall. As we pull on our rainbow tutus, and pink “pussy hats,” and buy poster-board in bulk, we cannot forget about adding sneakers to our armor, and knocking on some doors.
Just 58% of registered voters cast ballots in the 2016 elections. Every door that gets knocked is a reminder that we are still here. Since 2016, we brought our energy to the streets time and time again. Now it’s time to take that same spirit directly to our neighbors, and extend them an in person invitation to our party at the polls.
Take action now to have your voice heard this November: https://events.mobilizeamerica.io/
Marianne from MobilizeAmerica
