On Tuesday, November 5, I took part in my division’s election board, to help people navigate the new voting machines, so they could exercise their right to vote. I’m proud to have dome my part in the political process, and in helping people find their power in their collective voting effort. In this election, we had these new voting machines that people were not used to, and we were afraid they would not want to deal with them; but it was simple when they got their hands on the machines-just like many things in life.

There are, though, efforts to keep people from their right to vote, such as laws demanding showing certain pieces of ID and excluding others, to prevent targeted demographic groups-racial minorities, college students, senior citizens-from voting. Plus, as the recent events in Kentucky and Minnesota show, the Republicans who lost the election have tried, and continue to try, to cling to power; we must be ready to resist these efforts.People power in the form of public demonstrations have been effective in Lebanon and Hong Kong in overthrowing governments; it could work just as well in this, the “land of the free.”

I have, after my work, given myself the weekend off, no meetings or appointments; I needed the rest. That;s been the problem with activists, we go to so many meetings for so many issues, we wear ourselves out and get sick, and we’re NO good for our cause. For our own sake, let’s pencil in some downtime and refresh ourselves.