“The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.” -Representative John Lewis

2020 has been a devastating year. Our nation sits precariously on edge. The twin crises of COVID-19 and the exposure of a racially biased criminal justice system through the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer have ripped away any pretense of “normalcy” in society.

The difficult and tragic truth, though, is that America’s racial discrimination problems may be cresting in 2020, but their origins roll back into history.

The shocking disparities we now clearly see in wealth, health, education, job security, and incarceration are rooted in racism.

All of these critical problems, and so many more, should not exist in a nation as wealthy and advanced as the United States. And yet here we are, at a generational crossroads – about two months before we elect our next president along with national and local representatives.

The outcome of the 2020 election will be felt both immediately and for decades to come. And as important as the top of the ballot is to all of us, the important and impactful work that happens at the state and local level is just as important. The trajectory of our nation is too important to vest in a single elected official – governors, mayors, judges, school board members, sheriffs, city councilmembers and all manner of representatives exercise discretion and influence over what happens in our communities. If we care about creating more equitable communities where all people feel welcomed, we must exercise our fundamental right to vote.

To learn more about the candidates running for office in your area, visit this site. And to find out how, where and when to vote, visit this page.

We can be better than this moment, no matter how fraught or despairing it feels. The outcome of this fall’s election is not a beginning or an end, but it is an incredibly important inflection point that will reverberate across history. Take the time to learn where candidates stand on important issues of justice, then exercise “the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society.”

Let’s use our vote and our voices to drive the change we want to see in this country.