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SHAKE IT OFF
Every election night brings its own sting. This year, though, the losses—Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and the Senate—cut deeper than ever. Every election matters, but this one felt different: more urgent, more consequential, more transformative. We all cried in private and public ways.
Nothing could prepare us for the wave of red sweeping across the maps, carrying with it so many of our hopes and dreams. Yet as Kamala said yesterday, “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
We can allow ourselves a moment to grieve and reflect on Tuesday night, but then it’s time to rise. None of us have the luxury to melt away in despair. Our country demands more from us. We must continue this challenge with unwavering resolve.
This election season, the JAC community demonstrated incredible strength. From phone banking and writing postcards to door knocking and hosting candidate events. We turned commitment into action. Together, we raised record funds, supporting over 110 candidates across 35 states nationwide. JAC’s impact was felt from coast to coast.
If we retreat now and leave our democracy unattended, then we are complicit in the unraveling of our country. Though we lost, we did not lose our values, our voices, and our votes. These will inspire us to continue our fight.
Every watershed moment in our country’s history has been marked by hardship and shaped by resilience. We will not be haunted by this week’s defeats; instead, our hope for a bright future will fuel our next victories.
When our children and grandchildren ask what we did at this pivotal moment in history, we will proudly say: We stood up, and we took action. And when the next election comes, we will commit ourselves to doing the work again—because we believe in the country that holds the promise of a better future for all.
Now let’s get back out there.
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