Last Night:
My husband Ralph and I headed to an MTV Election Party over in Alphabet City hosted by a group of Gen X-ers, friends of ours like Pam Pickens, LaRon Batchelor, and Kevin Powell. It was beautiful but packed, and the VIP chill out area didn’t have the energy of the floor, so we left the club and ran into more folk outside. In fact, we had a nice little reunion outside on Houston with people we’ve not seen in years.
Ralph wanted to return to the BK, so we did. Chilling out on our sofa, we heard the Good Word on TV with the rest of the World, and cheered. Ralph immediately kissed and held the belly… and then we heard the cheers of our people – all the diverse, beautiful people of our world. We took to the streets and partied like nothing I’ve ever experienced before in my life. (And I have partied hard, ya’ll.) The spontaneous Love… It was a once in a lifetime night.
Drumming, dancing, drinking – we poured a libation of fruit juice (yes, from the bodega) for the ancestors. All our ancestors. Cars honked as they rolled up Lafayette. People leaned out of their windows to touch hands with those of us cheering in the street. To spread love – it’s the Brooklyn Way.
Cabbies from Bangladesh, Brothers from Around the Way, the sanitation drivers from Eastern Europe, White folk who just crossed the waters from the city to live in the best borough, Church mothers, young sisters from Whitman Houses, Sikhs in turbans, Muslims in jeans, the bus drivers, the people riding the buses on their way home from the midnight shift, a Latino brother who said with a heavy accent: “I never thought I would live to see something like this in my life.” We all did that dance.
It was glorious, ya’ll. There’s no group of people I would have rather been with. My husband, our belly, our Peoples.
I cried and danced and clapped and laughed and made myself hoarse. People called out from their apartments, from their souls.
Ralph and I walked over to DeKalb, which a sister friend said was even hyper, but by the time we arrived the police, at least 10 cars deep, were there, too. Love was flowing, but it wasn’t the same.
Back on Lafayette, cops had arrived there too, but they couldn’t stop the Funk. My husband said it was the drums. “They can’t stop the drum,” he said.
Like our hearts, beating so strong.
We stayed in the street, and all the cops could do was a little traffic control – which we didn’t need, cuz the traffic was stopping to honk and celebrate on our neighborhood street.
I approached a sister, a community affairs officer, and I said, “I know you wanna take that jacket off and celebrate with us.” She tilted her head and said, “You know it.” I said, “You know the flow was much more orderly before ya’ll came.” She said, “We just don’t want anyone to get hurt.” And I said, “I know, sis. And I know both of our ancestors died for this moment.” And she and I touched each other’s arms. Had our own moment in honor of Them.
We partied from the Big Announcement until about 2:00 am. Talked on the phone with loved ones even past that, then I cried some more, and we slept.
To Everyone, I say:
We now stand at the mountaintop. It’s been 400 years, and it too often seemed like we would never get to this summit, but here we are. We’re gazing out, over the Promised Land. We’re almost in that sacred space.
Praise God.
Now, we have work to do. I appeal especially to my fellow Americans who could not bring themselves to vote for Obama. Those who did not believe. I plead: Let’s stand together. The mountaintop has room enough to hold us all. Come out of the crags and caves and join us on this wide plateau. We welcome you here. We need you here.
Once we all stand on the mountaintop together, we can begin the walk downhill, into that New Eden. And that Promised Land is so much better than where we stand now. As glorious and wonderful as today is, tomorrow will be even better. Let’s not walk downhill, People; let’s jog, run, roll like children into the space of beauty and power and truth and Hope Realized.
We struggled and fought and clawed our way this far; going downhill, on the other side of the mountain of Hope, will be so much easier. Promise. Hold hands with me, with us all. Let us pull you up here with us, and let’s enter the New Space that was consecrated and, shining in light from Above, awaits us all.
Comment(s)
I cannot begin to express my feelings on last nights election. This is truly a victory not only for our African American brothers and sisters but for all Americans. As I walked the halls of Hunter this morning, many times I’ve heard people expressing their restored faith in this country and I can now say the same. It was just heartwarming to watch as millions waited to hear the results.
And even more exciting and joyful was when they announced he was elected president.
Although, I myself have not explicitly experienced discrimination and racial prejudice to my face, it was a sobering and joyous occasion for my parents who
lived through the civil rights movement. I was thrilled that they were able to see a black man elected president in their lifetime. I’m happy because I now see
a much brighter future for my generation and for my children as well. We have a better chance and dreaming is no longer in vain.
I am elated that young black men now have a concrete and living model to aspire
to-not some overpaid sports star or blissfully ignorant rapper that has no sight of the future farther than the next day. What’s even more, (as you’ve said in
the past) Obama can relate to all Americans. As many people have commented, the McCain rallies had only a few diverse faces scattered amongst the majority. As
for Obama, I’ve never seen so much diversity for a sincerely good cause like I saw last night.
Peace and Love to Everyone!
Seradin
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My voice is still hoarse!!!!
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Amen! Ache! Last night was a historical moment that we will tell our children about. The emotions, the celebration. Harlem was celebrating too sis. It was beautiful.
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It makes me happy to see my people happy. I got a beautiful text from some of my family in Zimbabwe and have friends from around the block and around the world who have been waiting to exhale. I have been too.
The world isn’t only made up of politics, as much as I would sometimes fall into that trap, so I am re-focusing on health and wellness so I can be that 106 year old and see the first black WOMAN in the White House
No rush. I am savoring the moment and reaching out to my global family, blood family and chosen family.
Love…
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We RISE We RISE Lets continue to RISE
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Almost felt as if I were with you at that moment in time
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Congratulations to us!! America, we did it right. Like you, I believe with the help of God and the ancestors, we did it right!!