I am a queer woman, who knows that thanks to my cis, white privilege, I can just keep my head down and go back in the closet for the next two years. I am NOT trying to trivialize anyone’s legit fears, horrors, and concerns.
For over the past decade, I have been active in the Democratic Party. My mother is a retired state senator (state, not national), and one of my best friend is the current state senator. (Fun fact: he was actually the youngest, openly gay man elected in the country when first elected.) I have knocked on doors. I have put up lawn signs. I have made phone calls. I have recruited volunteers. I have worked campaigns where we won and lost.
I say what I’m about to say as a Staffer, first and foremost:
Pace Yourself.
2018 is both a very short and very long time away. Right now people are angry, and energized, ready to fight for their civil rights and livelihoods. That is amazing. We need that same fever pitch in 2018.
I have watched volunteers get burned out. They start early in June, and by the time it’s October, I’m begging them to come in and make phone calls or knock on doors.
Say vigilant – yet not at the expense of your self care.
Use tumblr as a distraction from the real world. Laugh. Watch your favorite television show. Hug your pet. Over eat and don’t feel guilty. Go for a run. Go dancing. Go off the grid for a while and decompress.
We all process tragedy in different ways, and not all of us bounce back as quickly as others.
Get through the holidays and take care of yourself.
We’re in this for the long haul. It’s a marathon not a sprint. It’s also a relay race not a singles event.
2018 Primaries, here we come.