COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release | November 6, 2024

Statement by Emily Barkann on the 2024 Presidential Election

I’m 28-years-old. Since November of 2016, I graduated college, began working life, won an Emmy Award, survived a pandemic, lost two grandparents, earned my master’s degree, became a White House correspondent, started teaching a group of students political journalism each year, began law school, made a major career change, got engaged to the love of my life, gained a small following on social media, and used that social media to HEAVILY advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris – the first woman President of the United States of America – or so I thought…AGAIN.

History repeats itself, it’s true. I didn’t think that it would be this history that would repeat itself, though; especially only eight short years later. It is fascinating that the physical feeling in my body is exactly the same. Not quite grief. Not quite sadness or anger. Rather, almost a feeling of languishing, mixed with exhaustion, mixed with sadness and heartbreak. It is hard to put into words.

I am now reminding myself of what my mom said almost a decade ago. I put in the work this campaign season. I went to rally after rally, I created as much content as my busy law school schedule allowed me to. But I need to wake up today and be the same Emily Barkann that existed on November 4, 2024. Be the same Emily who managed to achieve and succeed in the face of fear from 2017-2021.

Today, I will allow myself to be sad – to feel this failure. To cry. To feel the hate. To feel the disappointment, the anger, the fear, the sadness. But the sun rose today, and the Earth is still spinning. That means there is still room for hope and survival. I WILL get through today. Even if it takes playing “Only the Young” by Taylor Swift over and over and over. And I will get through tomorrow, and the next day, week, month, all the way up until Tuesday, November 7, 2028.

I will stand tall, become stronger, help where I can, and FIX IT for the next time. Because we can’t say we’re too tired to fight. Because we must give it back to the hateful, the selfish, the greedy, as hard as they have tried to give it to us. Because women deserve it – they deserve to be fought for. In 50 years, 80 years, 150 years, women will look back and they will know that we didn’t give up easy or without a fight. But it is only possible if I get through today, and the next day, and the day after that. I owe it to them.

-Emily B. Barkann