Black Girl Magic

Kamala Harris Shatters Barriers as U.S. VP Elect

Hello Golden Divas!

First thing, first, ‘Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for winning this unprecedented historic election, which was marred by a global pandemic, nationwide civil unrest, and a historically high unemployment rate. The world awaits the great things this new administration will bring back to our country, such as decency, hope, and dignity. 

Dressing appropriately For History

As I watched the race to the White House on election day, it became clear this would be a long night. However, waiting on the agonizing results only to have them delivered four days later, on Saturday, November 7th, was well worth the nail-biting wait to see a much-needed change upon the horizon for the country, especially for women of color. Black women who had challenges to get an equal footing in America. Black women who had to fight the hardest in a world of NO recognition-where; a black woman is the last to be seen and heard when it comes to attaining the opportunities that they see in front of them, despite their suitability and their best efforts. 

 The suffrage that black women endured finding a place in politics and voting came to pass when the beautiful and intelligent Kamala Harris took to the stage. When I heard her address the nation as the first black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be elected the 46th Vice President (the country’s second-highest office). I knew the voices of women finally had been heard, and America has spoken. Oh, how the tides have turned! 

America, can you see the beautiful black woman now?

When Kamala Harris walked across the stage to Mary J. Blige ‘Work That’ in her white suit, in honor of the women’s suffragist movement to give her victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware, my heart swelled with much love, pride, and hope. The white suit represented the emblem of purity; it symbolized our purpose quality, and it quietly, yet clearly, is referred to as History, specifically, the History of the women’s movement.

“I stand on their shoulders.” – Kamala Harris

Kamala ushered in a ‘new day’; she stood there smiling because she knew she had broken the glass ceiling.  It had been shattered for the good ole boys in the White House. Many of those glass barriers have been damaged that have kept men, the majority of them white, entrenched at the highest American politics levels for more than two centuries.

Listen in on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s historic victory speech.

A Plan and a Purpose Positioned for Prosperity by Women of Color!

There was beauty in the struggle. Long denied access to the vote, Black women in the United States need no convincing electoral politics’ significance. Today, Black women’s consensus that voting is necessary—not optional—stems from a long history of exclusion.

“When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, with the very soul of America at stake and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America.” – Kamala Harris

There is a growing force that women of color voters bring to the U.S. electorate. Women of color constitute a greater share of eligible voters. Black women are increasingly shaping the composition of the female electorate and their overall priorities. But as the share of women, voters have grown and taken on added importance, so have efforts to dilute and suppress their impact.

The 2020 election was built for sustainable political power for black communities. Black women can be the engine driving this movement, so long as they continue being a force to be reckoned with at the polls. Black women often lead to higher rates than Black men and other racial and ethnic groups in the country; evidence shows that when black women turn out to vote, they bring their families. 

“I hear you been running, from the beautiful queen that you could be becoming. Just because the length of your hair ain’t long, and they often criticize you for your skin tone. Wanna hold your head high cause you’re a pretty woman. Read a book of my life, and see I’ve overcome it.” 

Mary J. Blige-‘Work That!’

It’s no secret, ladies, that women of color are the collective powerhouses in the U.S Electorate. When we show up, the job gets done. Black women in totality turn up and turn out at a higher rate, 66% than any other woman in presidential elections; we are the most progressive voting blocs in the country. We demonstrate high levels of support for progressive issues such as police reform, raising the minimum wage, and protecting Social Security. Moreover, the majority of black women have an economically liberal view of government. As black women with our distinct histories, experiences, and collective power, which are monumental, we fully deserve elected officials’ attention and respect.

The Democratic Party’s nomination of Kamala Harris for vice president has fueled many Black women’s passion for voting this year. Not only the AKA sorority (Kamala’s soror) supported her, but the other sororities did too! From the Greek letters to the Melanin Goddesses, we all strolled to the polls to help the Biden-Harris ticket win the election.

Harris’s platform resonated with the concerns of many Black women. She addressed several interrelated societal issues: systemic racism, voter suppression, police violence, and poor access to health care. Black women’s overwhelming support for the Biden-Harris ticket was an estimated 90 percent and deeply connected to these critical issues. The polls were dripping with Melanin and honey to help the Biden Harris ticket win the election.

Black Girl Magic

Let’s give credit where credit is due. Four names will forever stand out in this historic election where black women thrived and shined to bring the Biden-Harris ticket home. Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, Keisha Bottoms, and Symone D. Sanders. These women influenced the 2020 election and helped to push the ticket to the winning results.

Kamala Harris: Broke the Glass Ceiling!!!

Kamala Harris

Makes History as First Woman and Woman of Color as Vice President.

Ms. Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, has risen higher in the country’s leadership than any woman ever before her. A senator from California and a former prosecutor, Ms. Harris has a track record in breaking new ground. Now, she is the first woman, first Black person, and the first person of Asian descent elected to the country’s second-highest office.

“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. Kamala Harris”

Keisha Lance Bottoms

Keisha Lance Bottoms is the 60thMayor of Atlanta. A daughter of Atlanta, Mayor Bottoms, is committed to realizing her vision of One Atlanta – an affordable, resilient and equitable Atlanta – a model city for both commerce and compassion. A lifelong public servant, Mayor Bottoms is the only Mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, serving as a judge and City Councilmember before being sworn in as Mayor. Leading with a progressive agenda focused on equity and affordable housing, Mayor Bottoms serves as Chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee and the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors.

Stacey Abrams

Stacey Yvonne Abrams is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. Abrams was the Democratic party’s nominee in the 2018 Georgia Governor’s election, becoming the first African-American female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the United States. She lost to Brian Kemp in an election marked by accusations that Kemp engaged in voter suppression. With voting rights under attack, women are at the forefront of the movement to expand voting rights—and bring an end to voter suppression. 

Abrams is credited with boosting Democrats in Georgia by registering 800,000 first-time voters over the past two years. She was determined to show what Georgia really could be,” said Michael Collins, the longtime chief of staff for Rep. John Lewis. “And I think what we’re witnessing today is the result of that.” Doubt me, then watch me. Biden’s biggest surprise!

Symone D. Sanders

American political strategist and commentator. She served as national press secretary for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders during the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., is the youngest member of his inner circle and the highest-ranking African-American. She decided to join Joe Biden’s campaign as a senior adviser,  as the Associated Press put it at the time, provide “a younger diverse voice to Biden’s cadre of top advisers, which has been dominated by older white men.” Sanders regularly took on conservative pundits directly during her time as a CNN political commentator. One can expect her to forcefully defend the former vice president on television as the primary goes on.

To all of our melanin sisters who had a hand in this election, Club Fifty thank you. It is time for healing, new beginnings, and a much-needed change. Black women demonstrated the circle of sisterhood widely this year!

Golden Divas, let’s get those ‘Chuck’s’ ready because there’s a lot of glass that’s been shattered in this election. The glass ceiling has been BROKEN!!!!

Take a listen to ‘Work That’ video by Mary J. Blige on the sidebar. 

To see the ‘Flip-Book of Club Fifty regarding this historic election click below.

https://www.flipsnack.com/ClubFifty3123/club-fifty-biden-harris-journey.html