Glen Park  Neighborhoods  History Project

anticipation. What was unexpected are the enormous stakes this election would entail: that our nation would be embroiled in such deep divisiveness, that an awakening and national movement toward equality, equity, and inclusivity would result, and that we would be grappling with the devastating impact of a global pandemic and defending the truths emanating from the rigorous practice of science. 

 

As many of you know, on August 26, 2020 the Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project began celebrating the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, under which nearly all America women finally won the right to vote. Despite this success, Asian and Native American women and, because of Jim Crow laws many African American women, were forced to wait decades to win their fundamental right. Given that most suffrage events this year have been curtailed by the pandemic, we will be celebrating suffrage and the Valiant Women of the Vote until August 2021.

 

The Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project has also been spreading the word about America’s first suffrage march, held in Oakland, California by women of the California Equal Suffrage Association on August 27, 1908, and co-led by Glen Park resident Johanna Pinther. We are continuing our work to uncover the history of diversity and inclusion in this event, one that history has concealed for far too long. 

 

It is the sacrifice and persistence of those historic women who guided us to 2016. Four years ago, many thought the presidential glass ceiling would finally be broken. Yet, while a woman did win the popular vote, she lost the Electoral College vote to a controversial businessman who promised to “drain the Swamp.” According to statistics available through the New York Times, an average of 88.8% of residents in the 11 precincts throughout our district of Glen Park, Sunnyside, Fairmount Heights, and Diamond Heights (and here) voted for Hillary Clinton, while an average of 6.2% voted for Donald Trump (range 92% and 3%, respectively, in Fairmount Heights; 81% and 11%, respectively, in Sunnyside). 

 

As imperfect as the U.S. Constitution may have been in creating equality and equity for all at the get-go, it did succeed in setting a path for striving to it. Now, the very principles of our Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers are threatened, and the deep divisiveness in which we are embroiled has been cultivated over the past four years. We now find ourselves debating not only Red versus Blue, but Male versus Female, White versus non-White, and in the depths of a global public health crisis in which one simple act could help save tens of thousands of American lives, Masks versus No Masks. We can, however, celebrate that a woman of color from the Bay Area, Kamala Harris, has been selected as the Democratic vice presidential running mate (only the second to be so honored, preceded by Charlotta Bass, the first African American woman to own a newspaper and a candidate on the Progressive Party ticket with San Francisco’s Vincent Hallinan in 1952). 

 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama recently urged us to "Vote like your life depends on it!" No matter your political affiliation, this election matters. Exercise your constitutional right that so many throughout our history have fought, and often died for. On or before November 3, 2020, let your voice be heard and VOTE!