FOR AYANNA, ELECTION DAY MARKS MILESTONE
‘Lifelong journey’ to the ballot for U.S. Rep.-elect
For U.S. Rep.-elect Ayanna Pressley, election night was a major milestone in a journey toward social change that started before she was born.
“It has been a long journey, it has been a lifelong journey for me,” Pressley said. “Honestly, today was the first time I truly connected the gravity of what is about to happen here, I still don’t believe it is quite real.”
Pressley has been involved in politics since the womb, when her pregnant mother attended rallies. At age 10, she worked to help elect Mayor Harold Washington as Chicago’s first black mayor. In this election, she saw her lifetime of work come to fruition.
“I said, ‘Today we march, tomorrow we run,’ and (our opponents) didn’t believe us, but we meant it,” Pressley said. “It’s not just about us, who have the power to our name, it’s about each and every one of you, the foot soldiers, whose labor in love put into practice our values.
“This can be our darkest hour or it can be our finest hour and I am betting on it being our finest,” Pressley said.
After defeating 20-year incumbent Michael Capuano in the Democratic primary in September, Pressley ran unopposed in the general election. She spent yesterday traveling around Boston to help campaign for her Democratic partners.
“A lot of people have been surprised I am out here since I’m uncontested, but ... the role of states has increasingly become more important given the current climate of Washington
and the racism and policies that are coming out of there every day. We need leaders on the state level who will not only resist but progress.”
But for Pressley, seeing her own name on the ballot yesterday morning was a surreal moment.
“Honestly today when I was looking at my name for the second time, I began to connect that I would be a member of Congress,” Pressley said. “It sort of started sinking in for me a little bit yesterday. ... I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is happening.’ ”
After casting her vote, Pressley spent the rest of Election Day visiting canvas launch headquarters to encourage volunteers to keep working and spreading their message. She visited spots in Dorchester, Roxbury and Cambridge, reminding constituents about why are they spending countless hours to get people out to vote for the Democratic Party.
“It’s important to resist, organize and mobilize in a front to these assaults on our rights, on our values,” Pressley said. “Yes, we reject bigotry, hate, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny and all these things but this election isn't just about what we reject, it’s also about how we progress, how we uplift, it’s about affirming what we are for and what we are for is equity, equality, justice, acceptance, understanding, love, community.”