Hope

Last month I found my old journals and opened the first entry in one dated November 4, 2008. I had woken up at 5:30am to go to the Staging Location for my volunteer shift with the Obama Campaign. I rarely get up early enough to see the sun rise and I was grateful to have an important reason to show up on that chilly Colorado morning. In my journal I wrote, “I knew it was going to be a great day. The sunrise was beautiful, very pink, and the first song I heard when I turned on KDUR was Bill Withers singing ‘Lovely Day.’” I think you must’ve been the on-air DJ that morning Stephanie. That day was life-changing for our country and for me personally. It was the day that President Obama became elected as our 44th President and also the day I got word that I was accepted into Grad School at the University of San Francisco.

Finding this journal entry and watching Pete Souza’s ‘The Way I See It’ has reminded me of hope. And while I do feel big waves of fear and worry and I know the process of healing and repairing our country goes far beyond who we elect, I’m going to try my best to connect to that HOPE I felt on November 4, 2008. I’m so grateful to all of the organizers, the poll workers, the phone bankers, the families juggling one million things right now, all of the volunteers, the artists, the activists, the healers, and everyone who cares deeply and is doing whatever they can to show up for and create change. I’m up early this morning too, and I’m looking forward to seeing the sun rise. I’m heading to Atlanta today to hand out snack bags to voters. I’ll be listening to “Lovely Day” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” on repeat on my drive. Sending love and hope your way.

💙 Art by @ginatriplett.