What Are We Celebrating?

I was at the Swarthmore Farmers Market when the news broke that Joe Biden had won the election. People started cheering in the streets. Honking their horns. I saw some people break down in tears. 

I understood it, but I didn’t feel it. 

The entire town seemed to be breathing a collective sigh of relief. That felt and continues to feel like a relief that I, as a Black woman, don’t have access to. Furthermore, I have no evidence that this relief won’t give way to a complacency that will permit well-meaning, liberal people to look the other way as we creep back to a “normal” whose racism they find it easier to ignore.  

Black people — Black women in particular — showed up and showed out in this election to once again save this country from itself. And yet we continue to struggle to get the very basics of what we need from this country to survive. Equitable public education that is inclusive of the contributions of Black people outside of the month of February. Transformative justice that reforms our system from policing through sentencing. Reparations for wealth created over generations for white people on the backs of Black people – an inequity reinforced by decades of racial terrorism. 

Joe Biden being elected does not feel like a win. I feel angry that I once again was presented with choices among the lesser of evils, just as I was four years ago. I made a choice that didn’t feel good – even if better than the alternative.  

Nearly half of this country voted for a proudly and flagrantly homophobic, misogynistic racist. Those people haven’t evaporated because Biden won. And Trump did not create them. They have always been here. 

Is the half of the country that didn’t vote for Trump ready and willing and committed to fight to end white supremacy? I’m not convinced that they are.

I felt like I was standing on the outside of our community on Saturday. Like there was a barrier between me and the spontaneous celebration and joy erupting in the streets.

Satya Nelms
Associate Editor