I haven’t written in some time because the sheer trepidation and anxiety the election evoked in me, and many others I know, took up all my brain/emotional space. I found out while Colm and I were at Target for his eye appointment when a coworker texted me crying emojis. I immediately opened my news app on my phone and, there it was: the most astonishing and uplifting announcement that Biden/Harris pulled over 270 electoral college votes. The first woman vice president, who is also an astounding Black and south Asian woman, the daughter of an immigrant. An immediate calm came over me, one that I haven’t felt while looking at the news in the last four years. I’m so used to opening up my app and seeing news of more black people being murdered in our streets by the police, or Covid numbers skyrocketing, or our nation on fire. Those checks never failed to elicit anger and a diatribe directed at whomever is nearest, mostly Malcolm.

Malcolm and I bought two bottles of champagne and drank both of them while watching Kamala and Joe give their victory speeches. I was very much surprised that I did not cry. I didn’t cry about it, this result that I’ve been desperately hoping for, but not actually convinced it could happen. It didn’t quite feel like shock, more like a deep suspicion that it’s too good to be true. Maybe it was the fact that Biden had been in the lead with electoral college votes for a day or two (which felt like two years), or my never-fail optimism. For someone who recently cried for the last 30 minutes of Togo and then proceeded to cry for about an hour after that, NOT crying about this dream come true was odd.

The only time I’ve cried was after watching Van Jones’ voice break on CNN when he was describing what the election results meant to him. He openly cried and wiped away his tears, and did not apologize nor censor his reaction. This video is everything that is good and right with the world.

What was your reaction when you found out?

Triumphantly,

Maegan