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Video: Dancing on U Street

By Kay Steiger - Nov 5th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

I, like Jesse and Ezra , found last night’s celebration on U Street something of a remarkable occurrence. It made me feel lucky to be experiencing this election at this time of my life, in this city, with these people. U Street, once the site of divisive race riots in 1968, became a scene of celebration, with blacks, whites, Latinos, children, twentysomethings, the elderly, and so many other groups gathered to come together for this shared celebration.

Of course, this one victory doesn’t mean that social justice is a reality. Even as we took to the streets dancing, shouting, and crying, thousands of marriages between gay couples disappeared in California. Sen. Ted Stevens quietly won his re-election campaign. It’s a reminder that progressives need to continue fighting for causes they believe in. But for now, let’s remember this moment.