“Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.”
Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson
Tuesday left me numb, Wednesday barely functional, but today I feel resolved.
For the past few months, I had allowed myself to hope in the promise of America’s better angels. I believed that America could not and would not choose to go backwards.
Sadly, I was wrong. But not defeated.
Yesterday was spent in shock like many fellow Americans, who were shaken by the anxieties of the future and the unsettling reality that so many would support an agenda that will work directly against their own interests.
Today, we exhale. It’s important to remember not all is lost. Here in Oregon, we saw positive change: a diverse group of community-focused candidates were elected locally, with real geographic representation for the first time in the City of Portland. And Portland voters made history using ranked-choice voting to fully express their choices on their ballot, strengthening our democratic system. This is the song we sing today.
At the Coalition of Communities of Color, we are reminded that our strength, wisdom and resilience will move us forward, no matter the challenges ahead. We remember how our ancestors faced even more cruelty and injustice in their lifetimes, and still pushed ahead. We all have a shared responsibility to resist, recharge, and organize so that we can turn these next challenging years into the start of a better, more unified future for all of us. The work continues and our commitment remains unwavering.
The Coalition has been in the fight since 2001, and though the path has never been easy, we’re here for the long haul.
Let us march on, till victory is won.
In Solidarity,
Marcus C. Mundy
Executive Director