Decompress Election Stress: Liberty Hill’s 2020 Leadership Appreciation Virtual Event

The Liberty Hill Family gathered for the first time since the election to decompress, review, and discuss the road ahead with guests Deepak Bhargava, Distinguished Lecturer, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, and Liz Watson, Executive Director, Progressive Caucus Action Fund.

The last time a post-election leadership brunch took place was 2016—a post-mortem after the election of Donald Trump. This year’s event struck a different tone, looking back at how a multiracial coalition, led by women of color, defeated an authoritarian leader with racial justice as a core issue.

Bhargava and Watson traded questions on lessons learned from the recent election and the path forward. Bhargava warned that Trumpism 2.0 will be much worse and harder to deal with in the years ahead, and stressed that the only way we can combat it is with positive programming, not just being anti-trump. This programming must have a positive impact on the lives of everyday folks and we must deliver the results.

Guests also learned how critical it is not to take any votes for granted, even here in California. Grassroots organizing and the work of organizations like those that are part of Liberty Vote! is essential to educating and growing the number of voters who believe in progressive values. There is power in the ability of organizing to advance progressive programs and policies that can be a model for others.

Watson emphasized the importance of access to voting as part of our pathway to victory. “A winner this cycle is vote at home. I am convinced that we need to make sure that in every state, vote at home is always available everywhere.”

She also recounted the ways that big ideas won across the country, and emphasized that the Black Lives Matter movement galvanized voters who were vital in this last election and will be going forward. 

Bhargava also put the big ideas in context, “The movement’s job is to expand the Overton window to make it possible to think things that we couldn’t think before. Their job is not to play to the median voter.”

Looking forward, everyone agreed that the only way to truly heal the nation is by having a reckoning on the issue of racism and acknowledging the myriad ways racism has been used as a tool to divide and oppress.

Stay tuned for more thought provoking events and discussions in the New Year!

The Liberty Hill family will reconvene in December in discussion with Liberty Hill supporter and legendary musician John Densmore to discuss music as a vehicle for social change. Learn more about this event here.