Arena Community,

We did it. After four excruciatingly long years (and four extra-excruciatingly long days), we finally defeated Donald Trump. Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States and Kamala Harris will be the first woman and the first woman of color vice president.

Take a breath. 

And appreciate what this really means. Think about what it will be like to know Trump is not in the White House. Think about what it will mean for women and people of color to see Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris in action.

The Arena Community formed four years ago in response to a very different election night. Together we built incredible power and started making inroads toward changing how Democratic Party politics work.

Defeating Trump took sacrifice and heroic acts from so many Americans -- and Arena community members showed up strong.

2018 Fellows Stacey Abrams and Lina Hidalgo used every tool in their arsenal to fight back against blatant voter suppression. Hundreds of you quit your jobs and joined a campaign as staff after attending an Arena Academy. Thousands of you leveled up your skills at our 2020 Campaign Academy to volunteer for President-Elect Joe Biden effectively during a pandemic. You donated, worked, volunteered, and fought so hard because of a belief that America can be better for all of us.

So, thank you for everything you did to make this possible. 

But, Trump’s defeat wasn’t our only goal.

This year, we partnered with Future Now Fund to invest in state legislative races. The story of these races is still being written and there will be a lot to learn and evaluate.

Some inspiring stories among our winners include:

• Ricky Hurtado who flipped his district and will be the first Latinx Democrat in the North Carolina House.
• Jennifer Jermaine who held her district and is one of two Native American women in the Arizona House.
• Christine Marsh, 2016 teacher of the year, who flipped her Arizona Senate district.
• Ann Johnson, a cancer survivor and out lesbian who defeated an entrenched  Republican incumbent is headed to the Texas House.
• Mari Manoogian, the only Armenian-American and the youngest woman in the Michigan House. 

Lessons, hot takes, and analysis will continue to pour in over the next days, weeks, and months and we are eager to dive in. One thing is for sure, at the core of our mission we believe that our party must do a better job of investing in the next generation of political and civic leaders. We must continue to support authentic and talented candidates, innovative social entrepreneurs, and diverse campaign staff. Just look at what happens when we do.

In the weeks ahead, you will hear more about our plans for the years ahead. We aren’t slowing down and we need you by our side. 

But for now, take a beat, and celebrate this historic victory. 

Ravi Gupta

Arena Co-Founder