Before unleashing my particular breed of type-A, first-born Capricorn terror on royal reporting, I’ve worked on political campaigns.
Until an incident in 2021.
How Campaigns Led to Japanese TV and a Stacey Abrams Rumor
After a period of despondency in 2016 over not doing more—anything, really—to help with the Presidential Election, I was determined to change that when my family moved to Texas. I signed up to volunteer for a fearless, progressive, single mom mounting a 2018 midterm challenge against an incumbent for a House of Representatives seat in a very red county. I showed up at my first event and passed out flyers with voter registration info. Mentioned I had a Comms. background.
A week later I was signing an NDA to become the campaigns Communications Director and agree to filming by a Japanese film crew who were following several grassroots campaigns in 2018 for a documentary.
Life is never boring.
Since then I’ve helped start a multicultural community building group and successfully alerted the ACLU of Texas to a proposed Sanctuary City bill and stopped it before it was brought to a city council vote. I’ve recovered from a C-Section and bounced a newborn in a rocker seat with one foot, keeping the steady, forceful beat required for change as I tapped out posts for a brand-new, Black-led Anti-Racism Coalition and a 2020 State House race. There was even a rumor in the town where I once resided that I was a plant who worked for Stacey Abrams. (Not true, but at least I got a cool shirt.)
I’ve worked on campaigns from non-partisan local school board elections up to the House of Representatives. It was the former that broke me. I’ve seen what it’s like when a qualified Black female educator has the ‘audacity’ to run for a school board seat in a red county during the height of CRT. I’ve witnessed how people—particularly white women—speak in private messages to campaign profiles when they think they’re speaking to a Black candidate. And I’ve experienced what happens when they decide to direct some of their ire at the white woman running social media.
Having pictures taken of my home and posted online was scary. Receiving anon. letters with menacing undertones about following me wherever I go…yeah that sucked. Realizing how little the police can actually do (or will do?) to de-escalate was terrifying. (No, officer, I don’t have a gun, but thanks for telling me that I can shoot someone if they try and break into my house, but not if they are standing on my porch where packages are dropped.)
This was the proverbial straw on my back, hunched from too many hours spent inches from my computer, furiously trying to get out a last-ditch fundraising email. But honestly? I was exhausted. When I wasn’t working on campaigns or social issues, I was reading about them, fighting about them online, while trying to care for my family and do my actual marketing job.
Besides a 2021 state house campaign in Mass. (who’s running again and she’s really cool!), I gave myself a timeout. I reevaluated what I was doing. How it was affecting my mental health. And what impact I was actually having through my work.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to get involved in 2024, but the last 48 hours have given me clarity.
I’m going to help you get through this election without losing your ever-loving mind.
Political Analysis Without Adjusting Your Blood Pressure Meds
Unlike traditional media, all of my political coverage on Substack will be free. I’m not making money directly off of it. And because of that, I don’t need to do a lot of things news media does to drive clicks. This is here for the people who want it and I believe it should be accessible to all.
I’ve seen on a small scale how working in politics (especially engaging online) can drain you. I also think I’ve learned how to do this better.
The antidote to political burnout isn’t disengagement. It’s learning to engage in a different way.
In this space I am going to break down what I think is important, what to look for, and what to be aware of. Along with that I am going to arm you with facts, historical context, media crit., and a healthy dash of hope and humor.
Full disclosure: I am a Democrat with particularly progressive views on social issues. I do not see any value in treating the current state of politics as if it’s 1992 and politics as usual. These aren’t mere differences over foreign policy; the Republican Party is actively dismantling democracy and the safeguards that have kept this political experiment in place for over 230 years. I’m not covering it like a journalist, I’m covering it like an analyst and activist.
I’m not here to frighten you. I’m not here to create despondency. I don’t want to feed into that because truthfully? I don’t feel despondent. I know this is going to be challenging, but I think there is plenty to reassure us. The reality is frightening, but to quote A Cinderella Story, “Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
(I’m kidding, I know it’s Babe Ruth)
If you’re interested, hit that subscribe button and share with a friend or two.
More to come. Stay tuned. Don’t fight with people on the internet.
-Meredith
Introducing: Political Analysis That Won't Keep You Up At Night