As we all know, election season is upon us. I want to lend my voice and platform to worthwhile causes and voting is certainly one such cause, but bringing my take to the forefront has not been easy for me. I’ve honestly gone round and round with how best to approach this topic.
I was at first going to share how I recall voting in the last presidential election in 2020. How on 10/20/2020 I voted for who would become the first Black and first woman Vice-President, Kamala Harris. How I can remember the date because after voting, I went directly to the store to buy a pregnancy test and would later that evening find out that I was pregnant with my now 3-year-old son.
I had planned to go on to write about how I remember thinking that there were things about this cold scary world that made me uncomfortable about bringing a baby into it, but the good thing was that my child was coming into the world at a time when our nation was making strides like never before. That just maybe he would grow up in a time when seeing people that look like him in the highest level of government would hopefully be the rule and not the exception. How as I was birthing a child, our nation was birthing progress…
Then I thought I’d take a different approach or at least incorporate a parallel between Beyonce’s declaration of having a requiem for America (the song Ameriican Requiem on her country album) as part of her recent barrier breaking foray into country music and the American requiem we are on the brink of with the laying to rest of the primarily white patriarchal leadership in the highest office in our land with Kamala Harris’ barrier breaking in politics.
But voting day is getting closer and closer. I realize that time is of the essence, so I asked myself, “Fallon what is it that you want to say? What message do you want to get across sis?” The answer is I want to encourage people to vote. So let me just make it plain.
On Nov. 5 or earlier if there is early voting in your area, I encourage you to go to the polls and vote. And when you vote, vote up and down your ballot for the candidates that give a damn about the things that affect us, our children and our communities and not just their own self-interest and the interest of their rich friends. Vote for democracy. Vote on behalf of those who are vulnerable and not for those who demean the vulnerable, who spread lies/misinformation, and promote xenophobia. The following website serves as a great resource for finding out about the candidates on the ballot in your area and for what they stand. You can also find information on your local polling places: VOTE411.
As I’m sure you all know, I am a Texas girl. Early voting in Texas runs from Oct. 21-Nov. 1 and of course you can also vote on election day Nov. 5. We owe it to our disenfranchised ancestors, ourselves, and our future generations to turn out in record numbers to vote in this election. Former Texas Govenor the late Ann Richards is credited with having said, “If you aren’t at the table, you are on the menu.” I honestly am not sure what former Governor Richards was referring to exactly when she may have said this, but it is important that we be at the table by showing up to the polls. There are people out there counting on us to not know or care if we are on the menu. Be informed and don’t take the right to vote for granted.
As Leon W. Russell, Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors said, “Our Black job in 2024 is to vote.” I couldn’t agree more. I know Black women and despite what the media is saying my Black brothers also will show up for the cause. Let’s do our Black job and do it well.
See you at the polls.
XOXO,
Mrs. O
