5 Things I’m Thankful For This Year

By Fola Onifade

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

This time last year was a difficult one for me and my family. A health diagnosis had taken us all by surprise, creating a cognitive dissonance between the holiday we were supposed to be celebrating in a spirit of gratitude and the reality of our life circumstances. At the same time, there was no shortage of distressing news in the country and world at-large. One year out, however, I’m reflecting on just how grateful I am for my family, my friends and my community. From political victories to life-saving art, here are just a few things I’m thankful for this year. 

Progressive local elected officials and the organizers who canvassed for them

In Cabarrus County, North Carolina, which is just a 30 minute drive from where I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, voters elected Democrat Diamond Staton-Williams to represent House District 73 in the state’s General Assembly, making her the first Black person to represent the previously Republican-held county. 

Continued demographic changes in this state paired with the dedication of organizers who knocked on over 28,000 doors in areas heavily populated by Black, Latino, and other folks of color, helped Staton-Williams win her race against Brian Echevarria by just 629 votes, according to Axios. Flipping the district wasn’t just historically significant, Staton-Williams’ victory helped stave off a Republican supermajority in the state House by just one seat.

Black Twitter

The future of Twitter—much like democracy in this country—remains unclear, but one thing that has yet to fail me is Black Twitter. If you’re unfamiliar, Black Twitter is the large Twitter subculture responsible for many of the trending topics, jokes, memes, and pop culture references that seep their way into the larger zeitgeist. I grew up on the internet and Twitter was very much a part of that experience. There is no other digital space quite like Black Twitter where we find a way to laugh through the pain, stay connected and apprised of the news, and learn from one another. Whatever happens to the social media platform, having had the chance to experience Black Twitter is one I’ll always cherish.

Gen Z voters

As a self-proclaimed Zillennial (too young to be a true Millennial and too old to keep up with TikTok trends), I am both grateful and overjoyed by how young Gen Z voters showed out for this year’s midterms. 

And why wouldn’t they? Many voters who have turned 18 over the last 4-6 years have had no choice but to be politicized in the face of climate change, gun violence, police brutality, and attacks on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. These Gen Z voters took to the streets in 2020 to protest the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and they have kept marching all the way to the polls. We even have our first official Gen Z representative, Florida’s Maxwell Frost, headed to Congress. 

I’m grateful for this new cohort of young, multiracial, progressive, and energetic citizens and I’m excited to see how they transform our country’s politics.

Black women artists and their vision

Beyonce’s Renaissance album, Issa Rae and the cast of Insecure, Toni Morrison’s Sula, Quinta Brunson and the cast of Abbott Elementary, Queen Latifah and the cast of Living Single—these are the Black women writers and entertainers that helped me survive a really rough year. 

Art matters, precisely because in times of difficulty and struggle, it’s often the first place we turn to, whether for solace, laughter, reflection, or commiseration. Art allows us to experience other worlds through the eyes and mind of another human being, and that kinship—no matter how short-lived—can be life saving. I know it was for me.

Healthcare workers

While our healthcare system still has a long way to go when it comes to equal access, affordability, and racial equity, it’s also true that there are thousands of healthcare providers who are saving lives and taking care of our communities. 

Doctors, nurses, technicians, and other hospital workers across the spectrum braved the harrowing conditions of a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic, putting their own lives at risk to provide care. While COVID ravaged the world, people were still getting ill and injured from other causes, and I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank healthcare workers enough. 

There’s so much more I could add to this list, including my family, friends and community but I’ll save that for turkey time. Happy Thanksgiving!