Click here to read Hannah’s essay.

I was part of the 91% of Black women who pushed back this domestic wave of fascism in 2020. I am the mother of Black children, whom I have tried to put all of me into them so they don’t go into the world empty.

I have also been Black for almost 45 years on these shores, have paid attention to history and politics from the time I was about 12,13 years old. I remember watching Dr. Fauci on C-SPANN and Rachel Maddow when she was intellectually sparing with Tucker Carlson!

I am not in a position to not know what is going on. There is no gender that protects me, and no race that softens consequences.

In 2020, Hannah L. Drake wrote BLACK PEOPLE ALWAYS SMELL THE RAIN COMING. And this sticks out to me now as it did 4 years ago:

“Sadly, what I and many Black people knew was coming has now arrived in the form of Coronavirus-19. I knew it. I didn’t know how it would manifest, but I knew many in America had yet to feel the pain. Too many people were comfortable. They were okay with a little racism. They were fine as long as their 401K looked good. They didn’t care about kids being locked in cages. That wasn’t THEIR problem. But now you see.”

What I am aware of, perhaps more than I did in 2020, is there is a safety certain people have in whiteness— because they are invested into it. They have given up every social currency to participate in it— because they believe it is right!

I have a dear cousin, Jason, whom I am side eyeing, along with Black people who believe as he does that voting Republican is the solution. Meanwhile, these very same Republicans benefit from social advancements from Democratic policies.

Make it make sense?

Yet, the most glaring thing I see on the horizon is familial devastation— not just for me, but nationwide. In 2016, there were people who voted for Donald Trump as a joke. Voted 3rd party because “I just couldn’t vote for Hilary”. There were people who held to party lines and allegiances, voted for Donald Trump. There were people who didn’t vote as fire extinguishers as Guante said, and wanted to see this nation incinerate!

In 2016, no one took it seriously. Also, there White people who still were mad that there was a Black President. There were still people angry the nation looks less White, and there who were told people voting Democrat will send you to Hell!

And people excused it as political difference.

In 2020, there are people who were still mad the world is less White! Mad Black people aren’t going away — or even surpassing them! There are White people in the world who are still mad that they don’t own Black people anymore, and believe taking the country back 60+ years is the answer! That repealing everything that benefits anyone who is not cis, Het, White and male — and there are Black people who believe anything White people tell them! Compounded by the fact classes of Black men are using white supremacist talking points put in the political arena by Steve Bannon to stymie any political influence Black women could have?

Diabolical!

And now we are 5 months out from Election 2024.

Note:

This is the essay I was scared to write but needed to — it’s too dangerous to be silent. The third part of this essay will be on Patreon.