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Dear John,

Since the moment Donald Trump declared victory, we have been counting down the days until 2020. The most consequential election of our time is now upon us. But in this final email of the year, I want to take a step back and talk about this moment of uncertainty in our nation’s history, how it is affecting us, and what we must do to keep moving forward.

As I reflect upon the past 3 years since we founded Sister District, I am, first and foremost, proud of the victories our community has achieved. We have helped flip, hold, and make inroads into highly strategic states. Some of the candidates we have supported are even beginning to move up the pipeline. In short, we are doing exactly what we set out to do―execute a strategic, state-based electoral roadmap to winning long-term power for Democrats.

And yet.

None of this has been easy. It sometimes feels that for every inch we gain, giant gaps open up to separate us from the finish line. I wish I could say the 2016 election was a fluke and that our country is definitively ready to reject Donald Trump. I wish I could say that after 3 years of organizing and mobilizing, Democrats are sure to win back sizable majorities in every battleground state. I wish I could say that facts matter, truth prevails, and putting country over party is more than a slogan on a bumper sticker. But I really can’t say any of those things.

What I can say is that our fellow Americans are polarized and angry, no matter where they fall on the political spectrum. I can also say that the daunting weight voter suppression, foreign interference, gerrymandering, and unlimited money in politics put on the scale makes the possibility of a free and fair election in 2020 seem like a fairytale.

So here we sit, in equipoise. On the one hand, the heroic efforts of the grassroots and progressive communities have delivered more than anyone imagined in just 3 years. On the other hand, there are currents running so strongly against those of us who favor progress and equality for all that we continue to fight an uphill battle. And even with his impeachment, Trump’s assured acquittal in the Senate brings us face to face with this truth: the greatest danger to our country is not that we have a president who violated the constitution, it is that those who are supposed to be stopping him are instead serving as his accomplices. If the system breaks, what do we do?

There are many existential threats to our democracy right now. So when it is hard to see that light at the end of the tunnel, I remind myself of these four things:

First, we are living on one tiny speck in the long arc of history. Over time, our country has, for example, successfully outlawed slavery, enfranchised women, and legalized gay marriage. These battles were seen as unwinnable for decades, but the moral arc of the universe did eventually bend toward justice.

Second, even if we are discouraged, we can never give up. Change occurs when ordinary people persevere. And the reality is that there is no alternative―not trying is not an option.

Third, we don’t know what we don’t know. Yes, it appears inevitable that Donald Trump will remain in office and quite possibly win re-election. But that history has not been written yet, so we keep fighting.

Fourth, winning power in state legislatures is the single best way to spend our time and resources right now. Policies on issues like climate change, gun violence prevention, voting rights, and women’s rights, are going to be decided in the states for the foreseeable future. We are doing exactly what we should be doing; our job is to keep it up.

I hope you find this email sobering, but not discouraging. We will never stop believing that the American experiment can be a success for all of us, not just the privileged few, and that our problems are solvable. We are in for the ride of our lives in 2020―and I could not be more grateful to be working on the front lines with this community all the way to the finish line.

Warmest wishes of peace and good health to you and yours.

With gratitude,
Rita Bosworth
Executive Director

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Walnut, California 91789

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Sister District Project . 340 South Lemon Avenue . No. 8737 . Walnut, California 91789 . USA