Members of the Maplewood Township Committee acknowledged the impact of the U.S. Presidential election on local voters, counseling residents to take some time for “self care” and then rejoin the “fight.”
Noting that 11,990 Maplewood residents cast ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams said there would be a “period of grieving” — “It’s important to feel these hard feelings so you can let go of them,” said Adams — but “when you’re ready, do what so many in our community always do, get involved, work hard to make a difference whether locally in Maplewood or elsewhere in our country.”
Committeeperson Deb Engel told residents, “I just want to reiterate what we’ve talked about over the past year, especially that we are one community and that we should be showing kindness to each other.”
“We don’t always agree on different issues,” said Engel. “We had a competitive board of education election. There’s a lot of people feeling a lot of feelings, which then brings out other emotions, whether it’s aggravation or violence or whatnot. And we just need to come together as a community and hold each other and support each other.”
Deputy Mayor Jamaine Cripe quoted poet and author Audrey Lorde: “You don’t have to be me in order for us to fight alongside each other. I don’t have to be you to recognize that our wars are the same.”
“The intersectionality piece of our world has come to a very, very large screaming announcement,” said Cripe. “We gotta do better together, folks. We don’t have a choice. We’ve gotta do better.”
“Many folks in our community right here in Maplewood and in adjoining South Orange, especially those who identify as members of vulnerable communities, they are particularly scared right now. Myself included,” said Committeeperson Dean Dafis.
“It’s gonna be disruptive. It’s gonna be unpredictable,” said Dafis, “but I invite everyone, certainly to take some time to take care, but to not be broken or drowned in their despair. Because as Vice President Harris said earlier today in her concession speech, it was worth the fight. And the fight is not over. The fight for justice, for equity, for opportunity carries on.”
For those who did not engage in the election, Dafis said, “We have to regain your trust. We will work to listen, to collaborate so that we can regain your trust because we need you to engage also. We need everyone.”
From Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams, who made these remarks at the November 6, 2024 Maplewood Township Committee meeting:
This is a hard meeting to have tonight. I know that so many of us are dealing with a lot of emotions today after yesterday’s presidential election results. I also know that about 1,179 of our residents voted for Donald Trump and 11,990 voted for Kamala Harris. So I address these comments mainly to our almost 12,000 residents who [voted for Kamala] and might be feeling major emotions today.
Like with any disappointment or loss, there is a period of grieving.
I ask our residents tonight to go ahead and feel what you are feeling, go ahead and be sad or angry or scared, it’s okay and it’s necessary.
It’s important to feel these hard feelings so you can let go of them.
And when you’re ready, do what so many in our community always do, get involved, work hard to make a difference whether locally in Maplewood or elsewhere in our country.
To paraphrase Vice President Harris today, this is a time to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and for the future we all know we can build together for our country.
Have faith in the goodness and hope in the people in our world. And, find the joy wherever and when ever you can.
Warm regards,
Nancy
Mayor Nancy Adams
Watch Adams’ comments here:
