Hello Democrats of Indian River,

Let us begin by expressing our enormous gratitude to every single volunteer and supporter for being with us in the trenches this election season. What we accomplished together is nothing short of record breaking and we would not have achieved this without you. The work we put in this cycle has strengthened our county’s democratic party.

As we all know, this week, in a devastating collective embrace of fascism, our country chose to elevate a dangerous leader who thrives on fear and scapegoating marginalized communities. In response, we must not give in to despair, surrender, or the feeling of powerlessness. We are resilient and a better world is always possible when we refuse to give up. In short, our fight is not over and we need you to make sure that our mission to elect Democrats and protect our democracy does not lose momentum.

Representative Maxwell Frost has pointed clearly to the path before us: “In the face of apathy or action, I hope you choose action. Let’s unite to build a movement that rejects the politics of scarcity and embraces one of abundance and love.” We are not powerless, and we will not surrender our freedoms. As Vice President Kamala Harris reminds us, “This is not a time to throw up our hands; this is the time to roll up our sleeves.” You have a vital role in shaping our collective future.

Now is the time to build upon our solidarity. Together, using our collective strength, we will stand firm against fascism. As Rebecca Solnit writes, “... you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed.” Take time to grieve. Then organize.

As Rachel Maddow said, “What they want least of all is to realize that half the country went to bed sad but then woke up fired up with a new sense of purpose, knowing that apparently this is what we’re on this Earth to do as American citizens in this generation.”

Indian River Democrats, in our collective commitment to democracy, we will persevere. Throughout this election, we built a powerful community of activists, and our fight continues. Every single volunteer and supporter is an integral part of our team. County leaders will soon convene to discuss our next steps, and we welcome your ideas and continued involvement.

We mourn now. Then we organize, mobilize, and stay engaged to hold Republicans accountable. The fight ahead may be long, but we will never give up! 

Take a moment to watch Senator Elizabeth Warren’s hopeful message to all of us.