Make a gesture of belief

Tess voting 2008 Tomorrow I will be changed. Somehow in the next passage of light, I will shed reptilian skin and feel the wind's friction again. Sparks will fly. It's a hope for the right kind of fear, the kind that does not turn away. -Kim Stafford, Having Everything Right

"What's that sticker?" Tess yelled as she saw me at the bus stop on Thursday. 

She is a sticker and temporary tattoo fanatic of the Highest Order. 

"It says, 'I voted,'" I answered, causing her to halt mid-stride as we passed in front of the stopped and blinking school bus. "YOU VOTED?" she screamed. "WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR?"

"I voted for Obama," I answered, pulling her across the street. She stopped again, hands on hips, her little backpack weighing heavy on her, one glove missing and forever gone, the other on her right hand folded neatly against her waist in indignation as only a five-year-old can muster.

"I WANT TO VOTE FOR OBAMA TOO!" she yelled, still in the middle of the street. Heads turned. Cheers erupted from two men in work coveralls, and the older woman who walks all over the neighborhood using a golf club for a cane saluted Tess with the 8-iron.

"Okay, honey, I'll take you to vote on Saturday morning, I said.

And so, two days later, on the last day of early voting, dreading the crowds, I took Tess to the polling place where I had voted at the North Asheville Public Library. She disregarded the long line, marching straight through it and up to the small cardboard polling booth that had been set up in the hallway for the kids to "play vote."

Before Tess' time, taking Emma to vote with us was a long-standing family tradition. But this year, i knew I would be spending most of election day at 37,000 feet on my way home from Seattle.

Twenty-nine years ago yesterday, I was a young college student in Greensboro, North Carolina. Less than a mile from where I lived, on November 3, 1979, five people were shot and killed on a city street–in broad daylight, by members of the Ku Klux Klan–in an event soon to be known as The Greensboro Massacre

Now, 29 years later, an African American man is running for president of the United States of America. 

Does this mean that the Greensboro Massacres of our past are gone, that we are "beyond" racism in this country? No, and no. Does it mean that we have, in some fundamental way, changed? Yes, and no. Does this mean that the change is done, finished, accomplished? No, a resounding no. Does this mean we won't do to Barack Obama what we have done to other black people in this country and hold him accountable for the whole of the black population and exceptionalize him: "He's not like those others….and hold him to a higher unreachable standard? Now even more than 29 years ago, we must be vigilant about the underground racism in this nation. Even as we vote for Obama. Or for McCain.
On this election day, we need to make what my business partner, David, has called "gestures of belief." 
Gestures of Belief. 

37days Do It Now Challenge
Be changed tomorrow. Shed reptilian skin and feel the wind's friction again. Let sparks fly. Hope for the right kind of fear, the kind that does not turn away.
No matter who you are voting for, vote. Your vote counts. That's a gesture of belief.
I'll see you on the other side of this election, my dear friends.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

9 comments to " Make a gesture of belief "
  • I voted this morning. All by myself. After years of taking a child to vote with me. I would have hauled the grandson, but the logistics of it all made me shudder.

  • A gesture of belief is a great phrase. The rest of the world waits to see the result too. But it is encouraging to see so many turning out to vote.

  • Kathy

    i live in a very mixed neighborhood that is suddenly and vibrantly alive; and everyone is involved. there are demands for the vote while in the grocery line, and guys asking to rake your lawn, and then asking if you’re voting, and the most amazing conversation among people who would normally not speak with each other.

    on 9/11/2001, i was standing on a ridge in the middle of a housing project in newark, new jersey watching the manhatten skyline, and the project residents didn’t even turn to watch the smoke rising from manhatten. not affected. a world apart and away. i have a sense those residents, however, are watching this election, and i find that to be very very moving. some pretty big (understatement)gestures of belief.

    thanks for the post, patti – and bringing your children with you the whole way.

  • What can I say, but BRAVO!!

  • Bravo, Amen and all that jazz. We need to be continually moving forward (and remaining vigilant, aware and challenging ourselves and our beliefs) on the road to the American Dream. I HOPE we are well on our way.

  • Becky

    Patti I was discussing racism today with a few friends of mine. I was saying how much latent racism this election brought out and how astounded I was at hearing it. I guess I thought we were further past it being 2008 and all, but I am naive it turns out. But yes, I was astounded a bit sad a and bit angry, too!

  • I brought my kids when I voted for years. My 18 year old voted today and was applauded at our polling place. Every time I think about it I get choked up.

    I wish we were in a post-racist world, but gestures of faith and steps in the right direction will inch us along I believe, I believe, I believe.

  • Patti–thanks for mentioning Greensboro. I am friends with Sally and Paul Bermanzohn (and helped Sally work on her book proposal). While that was a terrible, terrible day, the fact is the survivors persisted, and did not give up. And many have lived to see this remarkable day.

  • smallbluebird

    Yes, hello from the other side of the election. It is lovely landscape and a hopeful place to be. I took Leah (of Change Your Verbs fame) to the polling place. She proudly carried my ballot (much like she proudly held your book) and beamed as the man put the I Voted sticker on her. I always took her daddy with me when I voted and he told me that he choked up when he voted this morning. Hope. Change. Belief. I like that menu!

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