Get Out and VOTE

I beg of you

We are one week away from the 2024 presidential election. To say I’m nervous for the outcome would be an understatement. More than anything, I’m furious that we as a country have only these options on the ballot in the first place. 

I’m living a beautiful life in Cambridge right now. I started a new job, am seeing my friends arguably more than I did during college, and taking in a gorgeous New England fall. There are so many moments of pure bliss, and yet, I often feel like my worst self. I’m angry, frustrated, hateful and jealous of other countries and of people who won’t be affected by the outcome of this election. I’m enraged that the basic human rights of so many are at stake. This anger is pervasive and is seeping into every aspect of my life. This is when I feel uglier than this world allows me to be. I’m like a strawberry that you only realize was rotten once you've taken a large bite of my juicy decay. 

I’m supposed to be joyful, grateful, happy, helpful and productive. That’s what is expected of me. There's no time or space allotted for me to luxuriate in collective misery when I have the privilege that I do. But now is not the time for toxic positivity or to fall down the rabbit hole of despair, now is the time to admit that I’m human. This emotional reactivity to a dysfunctional world shows that I’m paying attention, and that I care about this world and the people in it. 

If you are not feeling like yourself lately, if you are angry, nervous, scared and frustrated beyond belief, I see your pain. You are human and you are not alone. We have one week to get as many people out to the polls as possible, this is how we can create change and give these emotions an outlet. And then, we do the work that comes after, regardless of the outcome. All I know for certain is that we’re in this together. 

Get out and vote.

All my love and all of my anger,  

-Katie

Recs: 

• Right now, there is nothing more important than this: 

  • GET OUT AND VOTE 

  • Get your friends to get out and vote 

  • Get your family members to get out and vote 

  • https://vote.gov

Music Recs: 

• The band Stolen Jars, particularly the songs In the Bad Times and Won’t Stay Gone Forever - obsessed! 

• The Aurora and Jacob Collier Green Piece mashup on YouTube - you can watch it here, I watched it twice and cried both times. Incredible!! 

• Gently by Madison Rose - demo 

• The Internet by Gracey 

• Pushing Daisies by Ashe and Suki Waterhuse 

Book Recs: 

• Currently reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin and it’s a masterpiece, will update once finished