Today, it appears that the country has ousted a president poisonous to our community, to the nation, the world, and any reasonable concept of decency. It’s a day that many of us have awaited for far too long. 
 
That makes today a great day, a day of hope and celebration. It does not eliminate the deep disappointment — the anger — that many of us feel because the election wasn’t a resounding, coast-to-coast repudiation of the past four years. But assuming that nothing comes of baseless legal challenges, Trump will be out of the White House for good.

A million small things 

This election was — is — so close. Close as in tenths, even mere hundredths, of a percentage point separating winner from loser. It would have been so easy for those minute separations to slip the other way.
 
No one strategy or message made those differences. What did was a hundred thousand — millions — of small things: the volunteer who put in 12 hours a day that final weekend; the couple who dug deeper and made yet another contribution; the person who overcame absurd obstacles blocking their way to the voting booth. 
 
I know that many, many of you put in that time, made that extra donation. Maybe it was your advocacy that helped persuade someone. Maybe it was your dollars that made a phone bank possible. For every single thing that you did, however large or small, thank you. You are among the heroes of this day. 
 

The road from here

 Much promises to change after January 20, 2021. We also know that much will not. Systemic racism will still plague America. This deadly pandemic will not disappear. Tens of millions will struggle to keep roofs over their heads and their children’s stomachs full. We may well have a deadlocked national government unable to address massive challenges with massive responses.
 
One other thing we know: we will still need each other. As much as ever. Perhaps even more, depending on what the future brings. We will still need community, strong organizations, a powerful national movement. 
 
And Horizons will be right here — with you, with our community, with all who work for justice. The foundation has been right here for 40 years, and our board, my staff colleagues, and I are so grateful for being with you on the road ahead. 

On Thursday, November 12 at 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. PT, Horizons will convene a virtual dialogue with preeminent leaders of the LGBTQ movement to discuss where we go from here. I invite you to join the State of the LGBTQ Movement – you can register today.