[ Opinion Editorial ]
What a Time to Be Alive!
This year, I attended my first Democratic National Convention, joining a diverse group of Americans from all walks of life as we embarked on the final sprint to ensure Vice President Kamala Harris becomes our next President.
You’d have to be living under a rock not to know about the absolute 3D chess that the Democratic Party has been playing over the past month. But, just in case, let me recap…
The Recap
On June 16, 2015, supervillain Donald Trump began his reign of terror on democracy. He shocked the world in 2016 by defeating Hillary Clinton, who was poised to become the first female president. I vividly remember the chaos that ensued on January 28, 2017, shortly after Trump took office. A bevy of protesters and immigration attorneys descended on airports nationwide, including San Francisco International Airport, after news broke that Trump’s deportation order had taken effect. This order specifically targeted individuals from certain Muslim-majority countries.
I also recall the COVID pandemic sweeping the globe. Here in America, people were clamoring for toilet paper, feeling as if the apocalypse was upon us. Trump issued mixed messages, downplaying the seriousness of the situation, suggesting we “drink bleach,” and promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine—a drug used by people with autoimmune diseases like Lupus—based on medically unsupported claims.
And let’s not forget the myriad of racist dog whistles Trump hurled during his presidency. Remember Charlottesville and his assertion of “fine people on both sides”? Do you recall his labeling of COVID-19 as the “China Flu,” or weaponizing the tragedy of George Floyd, who was murdered in plain view by police officer Derek Chauvin? His grand finale as president was the day he lost his bid for re-election and incited his sycophant supporters to storm the Capitol, where they threatened to assassinate the Vice President of the United States. These are just a few examples, but trust me, the list of destructive, divisive acts and lies is endless.
Needless to say, when the Republicans launched their presidential nomination season and it became apparent that Donald Trump was going to run again, many Americans, including me, experienced political PTSD. A second Trump term—his last, for sure—would be unpredictable. With the emergence of Project 2025, a manifesto describing a future where women’s reproductive rights would be severely restricted, the fear was real. In addition to the potential rollback of fundamental rights, it was exhausting being inundated with Trump’s doomsday rhetoric, vitriolic diatribes, and constant denigration of our great nation.
On the Democratic side, we had President Joe Biden at the helm, which did not bring much comfort. Biden, who had served in public office for 50 years and was Vice President under Barack Obama, did little to soothe concerns. He had been showing signs of despondency for years, but during this campaign season, his impairments became even more pronounced. Most Democrats didn’t care, though; we just wanted to keep Trump out.
Democrats entered the presidential campaign season with hope, cheering Biden on, but his clear cognitive decline was building apathy within the party, threatening voter turnout among Democrats—a surefire way to give Trump another four years. It was, and still is, a frightening possibility.
And, if Democrats were deflated before, after the first presidential debate in 2024, we basically flatlined. Trump was his typical vile self, but what we witnessed during that debate confirmed what many of us feared: Biden wasn’t going to be able to lead the country for another four years. How depressing is all of this? I was certainly disheartened because I couldn’t understand how Democratic Party leadership let it get this bad. I didn’t see a “bench” being developed—a group of younger elected officials who could be propelled to the front of the Democratic Party.
On top of all this, with Democratic Party morale in the dumps and a groundswell of MAGA support, someone attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally. After being shot, Trump rose from the ground, lifted a fist in the air, and yelled, “Fight on!” with the American flag in the background. This excited his supporters, which to me meant they would be even more inspired to get out and vote. Even rapper 50 Cent, seemingly supported Trump by allowing the campaign to use his song “Many Men” as a theme song at the next rally. 50 Cent also used the photoshopped album cover Trump’s face superimposed on his body at one of his shows in Boston .
A few days after this mayhem, I was lying on the couch, depressed and trying to imagine a country with Trump and Project 2025 at the helm. Then the unthinkable happened: President Joe Biden, after contracting COVID and what felt like years (but was only days), resigned his campaign for President.
A Star is Re-Born
Enters Oakland native, Howard University graduate, AKA, Links,Inc., former San Francisco District Attorney, California State Attorney, Senator, and current Vice President, Kamala Devi Harris.
I went from utter political depression to being reinvigorated. Vice President Harris came out of the gate at 100 mph and has nailed every appearance, speech, and fundraising like a champ. If I can be honest, this was not the Kamala Harris I experienced when she was Vice President. Supporting VP Harris since she ran for Senate in 2016, I saw a vibrant, smart, charismatic candidate. I still remember her grilling Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation when she was a Senator. Once she secured the Vice President position under Biden, I noticed her giving word salad speeches and eventually becoming less visible. What happened?
In my opinion, the Vice President experienced what many Black women in leadership face in the workplace—having to dim their light. For years, she had to tread lightly, and for someone with her star power and intellect, I am sure this was a challenge for her. The proof of my theory? Look at what we are witnessing now—a woman in stride.
[Note: The views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinion of Bay Area Registry.]
