As the country tries to keep up with the dizzying number of ways President Donald Trump is attacking everything from our economy to our civil rights, some who once made excuses to justify the MAGA movement (because, you know, the price of eggs), are begging Black folks to join in the fight to help make things right again. But after coming out en masse on Election Day to try to stop Trump 2.0, many of us are worn out. And according to award-winning journalist and author Charles Blow, “Black people are marching. It just looks different.”
“Fans have replaced the signs, and joy has replaced the rage. Politics are important and have their place, but Black people at the moment are dwelling in the healing power of community. #LikeItOrNot,” he captioned a March 10 Instagram post showing Black people gathered in the street, waving fans and dancing to house music.
The now-viral post has received nearly 50,000 likes from people who are happy to see our people experiencing joy during an otherwise dark time.
“Music, dance, the arts have always healed us in the worse of times and the best of times. I just love US,” wrote someone in the comments.
And they are not wrong. Black people have always had to self-soothe. We know we’re in for a rocky four years, and that’s exactly the reason why more and more of us are reclaiming our time – to let go of the stress of the past election and gear up for the fight ahead. We will show up to vote again in the midterm elections But for now, we need some time to dance, sing, and yes, rest.
March 10, 2025 was declared a National Day of Rest for Black Women, a day intended for Black women to cancel meetings, unplug and take care of themselves, because as TikToker @jillian.whatley captioned a March 10 post, “Rest isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.”