During the 2016 election cycle, a leading presidential candidate said, “You know, this is a movement. This is not even about me. I don’t want it to be about me. This is about common sense. It’s about doing the right thing.”
Among the many incendiary and utterly unbelievable candidate statements we’ve witnessed this past year, this one actually holds true. This election is not about any one person. And no matter the outcome, what we do #OnNovember9 and beyond will ultimately be about “doing the right thing” as we move forward-together.
We know that when we wake up tomorrow, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, misogyny, anti-LGBTQ discrimination, and the widening income gap-and the state policies that reinforce these divisions-will still be with us. And we know the organized nativist movement in the United States is capitalizing on this moment of uncertainty to drive these divisions even further. To see just some of what they’re up to, check out our map here.
At the Center for New Community and Imagine2050, we are asking, #WhichWayForward?
- How will we move forward, ensuring the voices of organized racism don’t set the standard and sway even progressive movements?
- How will we build a movement that holds all of our elected leaders accountable to us?
- How will we repair the damage and deep divisions of this election season?
- Share your own questions and ideas with us on Twitter and Facebookusing #WhichWayForward
Over the past year, we have documented the ways the organized nativist movement in the United States has gathered strength and become emboldened. They have helped craft anti-immigrant policy platforms, authored anti-refugee legislation, colluded with militarized border patrol forces, and facilitated anti-Muslim trainings for law enforcement agents.
But, in that same time, we have worked with more than 400 activists and advocates across the country committed to building a movement that is well-informed about the range of threats to our communities, equipped to dismantle systemic racism, and determined to find solutions from within.
This energy and commitment drives us to keep working and keep building alongside you to advance an agenda that recognizes and respects the inherent dignity of all of us.
Regardless of today’s outcomes, one thing is for sure: We can’t stop now – too much is at stake.