October 6th and 7th; Hampton Roads Virginia
From The Road – October 7th 2008
I am officially 24 hours into the 41 Million Strong Campaign road tour. Before I left DC, I had no idea what to anticipate on the trip, nor had I ever been involved in anything like this before. Still, I can’t really explain what compelled me to, at a moment’s notice, put in for all my remaining vacation days to be a part of this movement. The one thing I do know is that women of color have a keen sense of their own needs, and need a platform for their voices to be heard by those who inhabit the formal institutions of political decision-making. And as a woman of color myself, I have a stake in carving out that space.
Yesterday, I left the DC area and headed down to the Hampton Roads/Tidewater region of Virginia. This area has been a fiery battleground of political activity for the past few months and, no doubt, will continue to be hot leading up to the November election.
Both the Republican and Democratic campaigns are spending profusely on television ads and other campaign activities in the region. This is also quite a diverse area—with a busy Naval base, a rich African American history, and individuals and families of all shades and political leanings.
In fact, the port of Norfolk was the port from which most Southern African Americans departed to cross the ocean to Liberia, in the Marcus Garvey era. Continuing in the tradition of moving towards liberation, there seems to be many women’s groups who are organizing around this election.
Last night I attended an event held by Women for Obama in Virgina Beach. Because yesterday was the last day to register to vote, I was told that earlier that day there were a number of Get out the Vote activities. I’m disappointed that I made it into town too late to catch the action, but without a doubt, I felt the enthusiasm at the event last night. I also got a chance to speak with the founder of Black Women for Obama in the Tidewater region, who is actively engaged with many other women’s networks in the area and has been active herself in the non-profit, HIV/AIDS prevention field.
Today, I visited the campus of Old Dominion University where I did some outreach to young women of color. A young woman named Mya, who plans to work in the anti-Domestic Violence field told me about her passion to stay involved in the political process and why she votes. Her voice can be heard here:
Tonight, I am heading to a debate watching party in Philadelphia! And with that, I gotta hit the road again before rush hour renders me immobile.
Stay tuned.
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