When it comes to understanding the reality of oppression in this country, there may be no more clear evidence than the lived experience of the Black woman. It is indeed hard for Black men to find equity, justice and opportunity, but how much harder is it for our sisters? The tragic truth is that the Black woman, our grandmothers, mothers & sisters, have become so amazingly adept at thriving in the midst of tragedy that we often do not appropriately consider the context in which they are standing. From constantly having their intelligence seen as inconvenient to having their confidence misconstrued as cockiness to fighting to be seen as deeper than what people can see to not receiving equal pay for equal labor, the plight (and triumphs) of our Black woman is one that often is underappreciated.
One of the ways in which the culture, in general, (and our community, specifically) misperceives the conditions and contributions of the Black woman is in the arena of politics. In ways that are not lifted up in history books, Black women, with all that stood (and continues to stand) against them, have long been carrying the torch of justice for both this nation and our people. Our queens are not tardy to the party of American democracy. They are already here waiting on the rest of the nation to show up. This work, the investment into democratic ideal by Black women, did not start with Kamala Harris and the 120 Black women running for seats in the Senate and the House (that no one is talking about, by the way). Shirley Chisholm, Ella Baker, Sarah Mapps Douglass, Maria Miller Stewart, Harriet Forten Purvis and other wonderful Black women paved the road that many walk today; each brick laid with the belief that our community and country (in that order) are better when true democracy is upheld.
Despite the bettering of the nation by the work of Black women, the state of the nation continues affect Black women in the most graphic and grotesque way. State sanctioned abuse of authority has resulted in many of our sisters having their lives taken from them, often without the dignity of their names being mentioned when the issue is raised. Mass incarceration may lock up scores of black men, but the residual ruins are left for Black women to deal with. From coercion to compensation, legislation that does not address the different discriminations our women deal with reinforces the regretful way in which they are regarded.
As we consider the democratic moment that we find ourselves in, in the middle of the most important election in my lifetime, there are many who struggle to find meaningful motivation to go to the polls and cast their vote. The presidential ticket is not enough for some to take themselves to the polls as many have reservations with the persons on it (regardless of party). The reflection upon our people who shed blood and sacrificed for our right to vote is not enough for some to vote because they feel as if having the right to vote does not change their present station or situation. The condition of the country is not enough for some to bring themselves to the ballots because they see the decline of the republic as the reward this nation has earned for itself. Our women, our strong beautiful Black women, have had to deal with the reality of not only being disregarded by our lack of perspective but also by our lack of participation at the polls.
You may not want to vote because you question the government (our experience as African Americans necessitates this practice). You may not want to vote because of your frustration with pandering politicians and paltry political promises (they get on my nerves, too). You even may not want to vote because you question whether or not things will change in your community
after the election (that part is your job). But, with all that our sisters have done, all that they mean to our people and all that our sisters are enduring as we speak, can we vote in the name of our women? Can we be woke enough to validate our Black women with our vote? Among all of the reasons out here, if you are unable to find adequate cause to cast your ballot…vote for our women.
