When Hope Meets Reality: A Heart's Reflection
My soul weeps, but my spirit remains unbroken.
As a writer, I transform my deepest sorrows and most profound fears into art – essays, plays, and scripts that speak truth to power. The election results pierce my heart, not just for Vice President Kamala Harris's defeat, but for what it reveals about our nation's persistent shadows. Her brilliance as a leader – sharp-minded, internationally seasoned, and judicially experienced – should have illuminated a path forward for America. Instead, we find ourselves grappling with familiar darkness.
Yet in this moment of grief, I hear her words echo: treat each other with kindness and respect, always. This is our call to action as Black people – to grow stronger together, to recognize that our unity is not just powerful, but essential. We cannot and must not seek validation from systems that diminish our worth. Our value is inherent, immutable, and self-sustained.
Vice President Harris stood as more than a candidate; she was a beacon of possibility. Her campaign crystallized both our highest hopes and our deepest challenges. I had prayed for a coalition of white women and Latinos to join forces with us, to bridge the gap created by those who opposed her. That bridge remained unbuilt, but its blueprint remains in our hearts.
America's transformation demands an unflinching examination of how anti-Black sentiment permeates our society – from white communities to Latino neighborhoods, from recent immigrants to established citizens. This truth cuts deep, but acknowledging it is the first step toward healing.
The reality of racism in America reveals itself in quiet conversations and casual cruelties: the Chinese immigrant taught to fear Black people, the Latino voices in Northern California wielding slurs like weapons, the decade-long friendship shattered over a simple acknowledgment of white supremacy's existence. These are not just anecdotes; they are symptoms of a deeper malady.
Los Angeles, my home, stands as a mirror to our national divide – a city of stark contrasts between abundance and scarcity. My personal journey reflects these divisions: childhood friendships across racial lines giving way to adult relationships bounded by invisible but unmistakable barriers.
Yet amidst this landscape of challenge, hope persists. I see it in the tireless work of Black Women and organizations like Win With Black Women and Black Women in Entertainment 4 Kamala. I see it in the statistics that tell us not of failure, but of progress still to be made:
White women who stood with us: 47%
White men who chose progress: 39%
Latino men who joined our cause: 44%
Latino women who said yes to change: 61%
Black men who showed up: 77%
And all others who believed: 50%
To every soul who supported this vision of a more perfect union – my heart overflows with gratitude. Your votes were not just marks on a ballot; they were declarations of faith in a better America.
The path forward demands courage – courage to confront racism through dialogue, courage to bridge divides through understanding, courage to keep moving forward even when the road seems impossibly steep.
We must continue forward. Not because the path is easy, but because the destination is worth every difficult step. Because in our forward motion lies our redemption. Because in our unity lies our strength. Because in our persistence lies our victory.
The tears we shed today water the seeds of tomorrow's triumph.