Election Eve

I usually don't do this, but I'm manipulating the timestamp on this post because it most assuredly needs to be labeled under Monday, Nov. 3rd.

So here it is, sometime after midnight the day before Election Day, when Prop 8 is getting voted on. Tomorrow we're doing a massive poll visibility action, dispatching volunteers to polls across California in supportive areas, taking one last stab at making sure undecided people have their questions answered, and supportive people actually know which way to vote. I'll be one of the dispatch captains for Santa Monica. The mix of emotions is ridiculous, and even though I need to be up in about 3 hours and 45 minutes, it's tough to sleep.

Of course first up is the anxiety. How could there not be anxiety, waiting for the verdict of whether all the people who care about equality and rightness in this world...OK, in this state...are willing to get up and vote for it? Waiting to see how many people out there still truly believe that I and my queer family are inherently wrong?

But there's way more than that. There is excitement, there is pride, there is happiness, there is love, there is just plain tired. There is the bittersweet realization that after tomorrow, I will have so much more time to reconnect with my "regular" life...the friends back home who have suffered from my hectic schedule, the neglected laundry and classwork, the day to day things that just don't get to happen when you're gone from morning till night most days. (A HAIRCUT!! WOOO!!!!) That's the sweet. The bitter is that I won't have this regular connection with the amazing people I've met through this campaign.

And oh, the people I've met through this campaign...when I realize what a short time it's been in the grand scheme of things, I'm amazed. It feels like I've spent years bonding with these people; it's been a month and a half. I've met, learned from, grown to love, and been inspired by so many amazing people, I hesitate to even name any names for fear that I'll leave someone out. But if there's one thing a law student's posts have, it's enumeration, so there you go.

The No on 8 staffers, many of whom moved themselves to California from across the country to pour their hearts and souls into this work. Aimee, who's been living out of the apartment of someone she didn't know before this campaign. Trystan, who is quite simply amazing and inspiring, and a beautiful example of how you can be true to yourself and who you are, and still make a living and do good in this crazy world. Stephen, another law student who found time (I don't know how) to join the No on 8 staff. The others, Anne Marie, Elizabeth and Dale, who I don't know quite as well but who are all phenomenally dedicated and warm people.

And my fellow volunteers, many of whom are from UCLA. Russell, who never says no and was out there even more than I was scouting polling locations on Halloween night. Mikael, who pulls all the strings on UCLA campus, and ALMOST made me misty eyed at the staff meeting this evening. Erik, who continually let himself be conned into more and more, including 5 1/2 hours to do the early voting, plus another hour or so of rallying. Isidro and Jason, an absolutely adorable couple, and beautiful people who make me light up when either of them enter the room. Jen, who is a fellow new-to-LAer. Oh man...see, I knew I was going to forget people... And of course LT, who has been ridiculously patient as I basically said, "Yay, you moved here! OK, I have to go [phone bank/volunteer/vote/rally/etc] now."

Anyway, no matter how tomorrow turns out, I know that tomorrow evening will be in my heart and in my memory forever. After the polls close and all is said and done, we're all headed to a campaign celebration type thing (hopefully victory party!) in Hollywood. It means so, so much to me to know that whatever happens, tomorrow night I'll be with these people that I've worked with so much, and who I know are so dedicated and beautiful and amazing. Whether we are celebrating together, holding each other up, or both, I'm glad I'll be with them.