Make a (Post-) Voting Plan
Okay, so I voted. You probably did too. Whoop-dee-doo. Voting is the baseline — the bare minimum — of one’s responsibility to participate in and ensure the health of our democracy. Our work is not over.
Regardless of the results that will be confirmed, contested, or confounded over the coming hours, days, and weeks, this election has already confirmed that our country is deeply divided: half willing to follow a demagogue who aspires to dictatorship.
Face it: America’s in deep shit, and we can’t vote our way out.
Many know this already and have been saying so for months. Organizing year-round is just as essential as voting every political cycle. This should now be glaringly apparent to all of us. Too many Americans — BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, immigrants, the poor and disenfranchised — must live, thrive, and survive not with the support of our government, but in spite of it.
What does this mean? This means not breathing a sigh of either relief or resignation following the vote tallies but taking a deep breath and leaning in even harder to work together to build community power.
Here’s what I’m prioritizing in my post-voting plan:
1. Practice anti-racism. I mean “practice” in every sense of the word — i.e. learning theory, applying it, making mistakes, learning some more, and continually improving. And across all dimensions: within myself, my relationships, and my actions in the world (including how I earn, invest, and share resources like finances, skills, voice, etc. toward abolishing racist structures and systems).
2. Defend the free press. Independent, credible journalism is under attack and needs my support. This includes established media outlets who have been held accountable and proven themselves trustworthy over decades well as nonprofit news channels made by and for those closest to and most impacted by the crucial issues of our time (e.g., BIPOC, LGBTQ+, youth, rural, etc.).
3. Invest in community ownership. People are empowered when they own and control their own land for sustainable food production, energy generation, housing, health, and enjoyment. I will advocate for policy that puts people over profits (i.e. resources in the hands of communities, not corporations). This is also our best chance at adapting to a world altered by climate change.
Your plan may look different, but I urge you to make one and then follow through on it. I’d also love to learn what actions rise to the top for you as next steps: What’s in your post-voting plan?
