Good Vibrations: The Power of Hope and Irresistible Joy
This last month of the 2024 election will be written about in the history books. So will the next two and a half months. There have been many plot twists, new main characters have emerged, and although this volume in the story of American democracy is still unfolding, a central theme has emerged in the last month: the power of hope to inspire and the irresistible nature of joy.
I’ve heard commentary that 2024 is a vibes election. Vibes are important. They set the tone, build energy, and create an atmosphere that people want to be a part of.
Hope is a familiar vibe. One that defined the 2008 election and inspired many people, particularly women, young people, Black, Latinx, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, to get civically engaged and helped them to believe that government can serve the people. Legendary reproductive justice activist Loretta Ross tells us, “Hope is so vital to everything that we do because we can’t be only defined by what we’re against. We have to be defined by what world we build and want.”
For much of 2024, blocking authoritarianism has been a motivating factor for many, but it isn’t enough. As Loretta Ross noted, people also want to know what world are we building towards? What does it look and feel like? Hope is about the future—a vision of what can be achieved—a dream to realize and not defer.
Ballot measures have been inspiring hope for several years—showing people what is possible and defining the equitable and just world we want and deserve. 2024 is no different. From reproductive freedom to economic justice to democracy itself, the people are demanding the realization of their hopeful dreams through ballot measures.
But the joy of the last month has been a vibe we have all desperately needed to tap into. For months, the energy has been doomful despair, not the vibe we need as we forge ahead toward the election and beyond. Like hope, joy is integral to not just building the world we want; like love, it has to be at the core and a driving force that propels us forward.
Joy is irresistible. It is a deeply human desire. It is biological—activating dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins that send positive messages to our brain and body. Joy feels good. We smile, we laugh, and we believe in what is possible.
And again, ballot measures have been leading the way. From the increased number of volunteers working on ballot measures across the country to the historic signature gathering numbers with reproductive freedom measures like Arizona for Abortion Access which had over 800,000 signatures—equal to 1 in 5 Arizona voters—and Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which gathered 20,000 signatures in one day, ballot measures are showing us the power of hope and the irresistibility of joy.
When that joy-filled, hopeful energy is sustained, it can motivate people to not just vote but also to protect the wins beyond November.
At BISC, we have embraced the joy vibes. Earlier this summer, “We can do hard things with joy” became our team mantra. Our team understands that the work of world-building is not easy because the systems that exist weren’t created for everyone to be hopeful or to feel joy. We know there will be challenges, and we may not always agree with each other. But even in the moments of despair, disagreements, and distractions, we have made a commitment to find and center joy.
Like hope, joy is powerful. It sparks a light in us and allows us to shine brighter. A vibe we all need to push us towards the world where all of us live with dignity and thrive.