Be unafraid to take power...
(This post was shared on Medium)
It's been just over a week since Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President. To me, the past week felt tremendously long - a combination of busy happenings at work, and a very...how shall I say it...active week at the White House. For some in my circle, the new administration marks a time of celebration, but for the majority I know it marks a time of frustration, outrage, and uncertainty.
The day after the inauguration, I attended the Women's March on Washington. I showed up not to protest, but to stand for the things I believe in: that women's rights are human rights; that social justice requires activism; that love is love; and that voting is not simply just a right, but a responsibility of citizenship.
But what I know is that for those who marched at the Women's March, or any march, your engagement can't end there - we all must be diligent, we all must be engaged. It is our responsibility to hold power to account, and to be unafraid to seek power ourselves. Just as in most movies of popular culture, from "Star Wars" to "Harry Potter," one of the fundamental lessons is that power can be used for good or evil. But in order for it to be used, it must be acquired. We need to strategize. We need to organize. And we need to win elections, not just national ones, but local ones too.
We need to mobilize voters, inspire participation, and understand the importance and value of voting at every level of government. We have to cultivate leaders and talent, and find ways to support those with vision who may not have the resources to simply run for office themselves.
I encourage you to read this article from Observer, "Democrats need to learn how to win elections," and be reflective. Sure, there are parts of the article that may challenge your beliefs and approach to a progressive movement, but there are two lines that continue to resonate with me:
It's been just over a week since Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President. To me, the past week felt tremendously long - a combination of busy happenings at work, and a very...how shall I say it...active week at the White House. For some in my circle, the new administration marks a time of celebration, but for the majority I know it marks a time of frustration, outrage, and uncertainty.
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| National Archives,Women's March on Washington, January 21, 2017 |
But what I know is that for those who marched at the Women's March, or any march, your engagement can't end there - we all must be diligent, we all must be engaged. It is our responsibility to hold power to account, and to be unafraid to seek power ourselves. Just as in most movies of popular culture, from "Star Wars" to "Harry Potter," one of the fundamental lessons is that power can be used for good or evil. But in order for it to be used, it must be acquired. We need to strategize. We need to organize. And we need to win elections, not just national ones, but local ones too.
We need to mobilize voters, inspire participation, and understand the importance and value of voting at every level of government. We have to cultivate leaders and talent, and find ways to support those with vision who may not have the resources to simply run for office themselves.
I encourage you to read this article from Observer, "Democrats need to learn how to win elections," and be reflective. Sure, there are parts of the article that may challenge your beliefs and approach to a progressive movement, but there are two lines that continue to resonate with me:
- If you can’t change the rules, you have to figure out how to win by the current ones; and
- If you want to change the rules, there’s only one way to do that: win elections.
So yes, let's continue to let our voices be heard, to march, to protest, to challenge those in power and hold them accountable for their actions. But let's also be unafraid to seek power ourselves.
I feel like in a lot of ways, we on the progressive side need to recognize that taking power is needed to create the progressive change we seek. And while our desire to lift others up and empower the powerless is vastly needed and important, we may need to rethink our approach in current times. Yes, such an argument does run counter to a lot of grassroots organizing that has long been central to progressive movements. I am not saying to abandon those - we should always be focused on building community and elevating the voices of those who so often have been marginalized - but in times like these maybe the best way to make change happen is by seeking power and being unafraid to do so.
You don't have to be a congressman, senator, or president to be a leader, but you have to be engaged. So, if you are searching for ways to be involved and to make a difference, I urge you to check out some of these sites that can help you shape your personal agenda of civic engagement:
There comes a time when you must take a page from the other sides playbook and fight to win, because you can't affect change if you are not in a position with the power and reach to do so.
In solidarity,
DC3FO
You don't have to be a congressman, senator, or president to be a leader, but you have to be engaged. So, if you are searching for ways to be involved and to make a difference, I urge you to check out some of these sites that can help you shape your personal agenda of civic engagement:
- Women's March: 10 Actions, 100 Days
- Indivisible Guide - take a lesson from former progressive congressional staffers on how to organize locally and apply pressure to members of Congress
- SwingLeft.org - help mobilize to take back the House in 2018
- Consider running for office yourself - both EMILY's List and the Victory Fund are great places to start with resources and training
There comes a time when you must take a page from the other sides playbook and fight to win, because you can't affect change if you are not in a position with the power and reach to do so.
In solidarity,
DC3FO