The wooden porch of my grandmother’s house in Mississippi still creaks with memories. As a Black gay man who grew up in the Deep South, I learned early that America’s story is written in both progress and pain. My grandmother’s tales of surviving Jim Crow weren’t just history lessons—they were survival guides for navigating a country still grappling with its identity.
Recent polling shows that 68% of Americans believe the country is more divided today than at any point in their lifetime. A 2024 Gallup study revealed that only 28% of Americans are satisfied with the current state of race relations, marking the lowest figure since 1992.
These divisions are not abstract; they manifest in our voting patterns, where racial gaps in political participation persist despite record turnout in recent elections. The 2024 presidential election, for example, saw significant polarization along racial and economic lines, with issues like race and immigration playing a central role.
Breaking Barriers
The path to leadership for women, particularly women of color, remains steep. While a record 149 women currently serve in Congress (28% of all members), only 59 are women of color.
From Victoria Woodhull’s groundbreaking 1872 campaign to Shirley Chisholm’s historic 1972 run, each attempt to shatter the presidential glass ceiling has faced unique challenges. The 2024 election cycle continued this complex narrative, with women candidates facing documented disparities in media coverage and campaign financing.
Despite these obstacles, Black women are poised to make historic gains across various levels of government, signaling a shift in political power.
Economic Reality and Social Change
The economic landscape tells a stark story: The Federal Reserve reports that the racial wealth gap has widened, with Black families holding just 15 cents for every dollar of white family wealth.
Meanwhile, the gender pay gap persists, with women earning 84 cents for every dollar that men earn.
These disparities create compounding barriers to political participation and social mobility. Economic inequity is not just an abstract issue; it directly impacts voter turnout and engagement as marginalized communities struggle to have their voices heard.
LGBTQ+ Rights in Focus
In 2023, the Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans for the first time in its 40-year history. The Movement Advancement Project documented over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across state legislatures in 2023, with more than 80 becoming law—more than double the previous year. Yet, LGBTQ+ voter registration reached historic highs, with 92% of eligible LGBTQ+ adults registered to vote.
This surge in political engagement reflects the community’s resilience and the growing recognition that democracy must be inclusive to survive.
Looking Forward
The America I know contains multitudes—the Mississippi front porch, where my grandmother taught me resilience. It’s the diverse coalition of young activists I meet today who are reimagining what democracy can be. Recent polling shows that Gen Z and Millennial voters are the most diverse in American history, with 45% identifying as people of color.
As we process the lessons of 2024, we must remember that American democracy has always been an unfinished project. The same nation that produced profound injustice and remarkable progress continues evolving. Our task is to ensure this evolution bends toward justice—not through partisan rhetoric but through sustained community engagement and honest dialogue about who we are and who we wish to become. The path forward requires acknowledging both our achievements and our shortcomings. It demands that we see our differences not as divisions to exploit but as perspectives to understand.
As my grandmother often said, “Change comes slow as molasses, but it comes sure as sunrise.” For all Americans, our path forward is clear. As John Lewis reminded us: “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” We must not get lost in a sea of despair but remain hopeful and optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day or a year—it is the struggle of a lifetime. Today, we are called to get into “good trouble” and help redeem the soul of America. The time has come to move our feet, make some noise, and create the change we wish to see. As Lewis taught us: “Freedom is not a state; it is an act,” and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair and just society.
This MFP Voices essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
