Last Sunday afternoon, I was at my computer writing in my online journal about ageism and expressing my frustration with how President Biden’s desire for a second term suddenly became controversial due to his age (after his poor performance during the debate in June). I understand that the role of the U.S. President is more mentally demanding than physical, but the point I had planned to make was that people need to stop discounting older individuals.
I also would have cited examples of older people like my cousin on my father’s side, Akintunde Kenyatta. He was in his late 60s or early 70s when he decided to take a literal leap of faith. Like former President George H.W. Bush, Wesley Snipes, and other brave hearts over 50, Akintunde fulfilled his dream of skydiving before passing away a few years later. Similarly, famed marathon swimmer Diane Nyad swam across the Florida Strait—the treacherous waters between Cuba and Key West—at the age of 64, a feat that was nothing short of extraordinary. Closer to home, my she-ro, Baltimore native Ernestine Shepherd, stands as a testament to the power of perseverance and dedication. Since she turned 56, she has won two bodybuilding titles and completed nine marathons. Now 87 years old, Shepherd is the world’s oldest competitive female bodybuilder.
However, before I could finish writing about the virtues of age, a TV newscast reported that the president would not seek a second term and would instead support Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee; it was and is a bittersweet historic event.
Since Sunday’s shocking announcement, the political drama has unfolded faster than a California wildfire. Harris’s challenger – the Orange Menace – and his childish sidekick have had the rug pulled out from under them. (The sidekick is the author of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. The movie is available on Netflix. I saw it a few years ago before I ever heard of the sidekick.) The two of them, and other MAGA cult members, are doing what children with limited communication skills often do: name-calling and spewing lies, including saying the VP is a DEI hire (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).
The term “DEI hire” is often used snipingly to imply that someone was hired solely to fulfill diversity quotas, disregarding their qualifications. This term is frequently weaponized to undermine the achievements of individuals from marginalized groups. The notion that DEI initiatives lead to hiring less qualified individuals is contradicted by the fact that many so-called “DEI hires” are equally or more qualified than their counterparts. Such criticisms are seen as attempts to demoralize and disrespect leaders from marginalized groups.
VP Harris’s career achievements and qualifications demonstrate that she is far from being a DEI hire. Her extensive experience in various high-profile legal and political roles underscores her merit and capability to hold leadership positions, including the Vice Presidency and her candidacy for the Presidency. She is not a DEI hire for several reasons, including the fact that she has exemplary qualifications and career achievements:
- She served as the District Attorney of San Francisco for about seven years.
- She was the Attorney General of California for six years.
- She was elected U.S. Senator from California and served for four years.
- She has been serving as the Vice President of the United States for the past three and a half years. Her selection followed President Joe Biden’s commitment to choosing a woman for the role without initially specifying race.
I remember all the hellishness the Obamas had to tolerate during President Obama’s campaign and even while he was in the White House. It’s feeling like déjà vu all over again, but this time with a double dose of racism and sexism. The Orange Menace and his sidekick are revving up their engines of hate and spewing their usual garbage like a broken sewage pipe. They are both clownish. Seeing them perform at rallies or anywhere is like watching a bad reality TV show.
I’ve been a Harris fan since she first stepped into the spotlight as Biden’s running mate. As a black woman, I feel unsettled knowing the storm she’s about to face. On the other hand, I recognize her strength. I believe she is the storm and will give her opponents as good as she gets. What’s more, she has an army behind her.
On Sunday night and the evening following President Biden’s announcement, black women and men – yes, the whole melanin-blessed crew – showed up. They burned up phone lines and slapped down cold, hard cash. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. Black folk didn’t just talk the talk; they walked the walk and then some. On Thursday, Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, organized White Women for Kamala on a Zoom call, and they also raised millions for Harris’s campaign. Talk about making it rain!