Life woke up Sunday morning

As I woke up Sunday morning, a message flashed across my phone: Joe Biden had decided not to pursue re-election. A plethora of emotions came over me, from great sadness to anger. My heart hurt, and tears filled my eyes.

Though I admire and respect President Biden, my heart sank for my nation. For days, the media relentlessly pounded a 90-minute debate performance, and the power of the media seeped into the crevices of this nation, until a groundswell of groupthink called for him to step down. And he did. Some may say he gave up, but I feel he stepped up, putting the citizens over politics and doing what was best for the country. He may have had to step down in the next four years, but his decisions until then would have been remarkable for many.

As I feverishly scrolled through social media to glimpse what was being shared and said, Joe Biden shared another post: he is endorsing Kamala Harris. I think my soul left my body for a second. I mean, a Black woman president? I never fathomed this in my lifetime. It felt so real, then the reality of the hill she would have to climb washed over me. I had no words.

For the Democratic party, Black women overwhelmingly and consistently vote for Democrats. They say it’s because we like the plantation, but I say it is because we built the party. We know each other well. The Democrats do not win without us. No matter how many checks those in power write, our vote moves mountains. And Kamala Harris became the first Black/Asian Vice President of the United States.

Joe endorsing VP Harris was a major win because several Democratic leaders did not want her to be the nominee. Let the record show that even in this, those who called for Joe to step down had nothing to do with his age and everything to do with her complexion.

As a Black woman, I know all too well how this society feels about us. We can dance on your stage, but making decisions for a nation is unwelcome. Women who do not look like me are already spouting racist tropes, trying to instill fear in the hearts of white people.

The thing about Kamala is she is ready for the fight, and so are we. Not only because of a historic moment, but because with this nation in a state of division, VP Harris offers a message of unity. We claim her, but she is a true woman of the diaspora. With a Southeast Asian mother and Jamaican father, raised in Oakland and educated at an HBCU, Vice President Kamala Harris understands the world from a unique vantage point. In a nation of many different people, we must have a woman with a vision that includes everyone. A vision that makes way for our unique dreams.

I am still awake because I was on a call hosted by Win With Black Women, along with 45,000-plus Black women who have pledged to put in the time and effort to make certain Kamala becomes Madame President Harris. While others were out on Twitter trolling, we signed up 5,000 volunteers and raised over one million dollars in less than three hours.

Committing to the cause of freedom, the call was healing and affirming. We thanked President Biden for his committed service to this nation and for answering the call to lead us out of a nightmare.

Here is the deal: when Black women win, everyone wins. It is built into the fabric of who we are. We see humanity, and we are the arbiters of possibilities. When we unify, mountains move and lives change. We do not know how to be just about ourselves. That is for sure. We invite everyone to the table for a delicious serving of love and compassion. We lead with our hearts and serve with grace. Some call it magic; I call it divine.

We are up against a regime that is working to destroy the very fabric of this country. To erase our contributions and send us back to a time our elders fought against. This time, we will fight this regime with love. The sweet love for freedom, inclusion, and humanity. This is the fight, and this fuels the vision. Because this time, it is not just for them, we are included in the win.