The Day After: Reflections on the 2024 Election

The election results have been sobering, another painful reminder that this country was made for us to thrive. Once again, we’re seeing how misogynoir — the intersecting disdain for Blackness and womanhood — has a tangible impact resulting in Vice-President Kamala Harris losing the 2024 presidential election; a most glaring example of the glass cliff effect. When Black women speak about paying the “Black tax” or needing to be as my grandmother taught me to understand, you have to be, “twice as good to get half,” this is exactly what we mean. America will soon be in the “find out” phase of the consequences of this election, the choices made, and the revelations surrounding us. Here are a few reflections on what this means for the path ahead.

• People lied.

Women lied. Whiteness as a social construct has prevailed. So many claimed they were “with her,” but when the time came, their support disappeared. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this — empty promises of solidarity have surfaced repeatedly over the last three election cycles. And as the dust settles, it’s clear that the unwavering support of racist and fascist ideals that many claim to reject has been allowed to flourish.

• Misplaced Blame on Black Men

Black men are not the problem; they were simply used as scapegoats as a way to avoid facing the deeper issues of racism, sexism, and bias within this election cycle. Keep the main thing the main thing, and place appropriate blame on those who are responsible (check the numbers, they don’t lie).

• Retire the term “POC”

The term “People of Color” has also lost its meaning in this context. Umbrella terms like POC cannot provide real cover, solidarity, or convey coalitions. If anything, this election shows that the assumed unity among communities of color is fragile, often more symbolic than real. Until we’re honest about these dynamics, true solidarity will remain out of reach. And, until that dialogue can be had, the use of the term, POC should be done away with.

• DEI

In workplaces and schools, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts have been on the chopping block since 2020. We’ve seen DEI programs be stripped away at the first sign of inconvenience or discomfort of the majority. And when these protections are gone when harm inevitably follows, the very people who will be most affected are those who have been called upon to fix things, are likely to be gone. The truth is that many institutions are and will be content to look the other way and the consequences will be grave.

Those of us in DEI work feel this election and these shifts deeply. Justice work is not a simple intellectual exercise — it lives in our bodies and our emotions. The trauma of navigating these moments is real, and it weighs on those who pour themselves into supporting their communities. For the DEI practitioners, community organizers, and educators who carry the burden of this work: rest is a necessity. The intensity of this season will continue to take its toll, and our well-being must be prioritized, as much as you have prioritized the work itself.

• Black women

To Black women, everywhere, my sisters: you are the bedrock of humanity. We have done our part, as we always do. The resilience passed down from our ancestors guides us, and we will continue to uplift that legacy for the next generation. It is not on us to save a world that refuses to see us, listen to us, and heed our warnings. We will no longer be on the frontlines, carrying the weight of every else’s battles, only to find ourselves left standing alone. Instead, we will move forward, with our souls intact, knowing our hearts are rooted in a lineage of love, community, resistance, and liberation. Protect your peace.

• End Performative Allyship

Reflecting on my work as a champion for justice, I am reminded that silence, complacency, and the normalization of harm have led us to this moment. Until individuals, and organizations, are willing to address these uncomfortable truths, cycles like this will repeat. The performative allyship, the hesitancy to confront bad behavior, and the unwillingness to commit to structural and systemic change keep us stuck. For true progress, denial, silence, and willful ignorance are not options. Only by challenging falsehoods, rejecting complacency, and addressing harmful patterns can America and its institutions create environments that protect the most vulnerable rather than exclude them. In the days, months, and years ahead, let’s remember that empty promises and inaction won’t create the necessary change we seek. Only truth, accountability, and repair will.

In the days, months, and years ahead, let’s remember that empty promises and inaction won’t create the necessary change we seek. Only truth, accountability, and repair will.

A dear friend reached out to me this morning to check in on me, asking, “What’s the next step, where do we go from here? I shared with my friend what I told my teenage daughter as I dropped her off at school: It’s ok to feel grief, it’s ok to feel rage. Those feelings are real and shouldn’t be minimized or downplayed. This is heavy, traumatic, and emotional–feel all the things. But just like my mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and ancestors before them, we will stand in our truth. We will hold our heads high, we will show up for our community, and we will care for one another. Never let anyone or anything make you doubt your worth and purpose. You deserve respect and dignity, always. And, remember you are the gift of joy. Let that joy be your strength, no matter the circumstance, no one can take that from you.

I love you, and will never stop fighting for you and your future.

Ralinda Watts, Los Angeles (CA), November 6, 2024