Subject: [All Staff] Election Day message from President Beal
From: Presidents Office <[email-masked]>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2020 12:09:00 -0800
List-Id: <allstaff.cca.edu>

Dear CCA Community,

Like many of you, I’ve been thinking endlessly about what today’s election
means for our community, our country, and our democracy. I’ve checked Nate
Silver’s FiveThirtyEight website far too often, looking for encouragement
within the data. I’ve found hope in the words of others, like historian
Heather Cox Richardson, who sees reason to be excited about our democracy
and our future
<https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-31-2020?r=99sdp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email>.
I’ve lain awake contemplating the consequences of different scenarios—a
Biden win; a Trump win; a race with no clear outcome tonight, tomorrow, or
perhaps longer. And I’ve found comfort, as I often do, in art and in music
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBQOQVsdzbE>.

I hope you are finding ways to manage the anxiety and stress brought on by
this bitterly divisive election. Student Life, CCA@CCA, and the Staff
Advisory Committee have organized several gatherings and compiled some
resources
<https://portal.cca.edu/thriving/student-life/updates/2020-post-election-resources/>
to help our community move forward in a positive way. Please hold space in
the coming days to support one another and make time for discussions about
this moment and the very personal challenges it brings for individuals and
members of our community. Be compassionate with your students, peers,
colleagues, and teachers who may need time and space to process what is
happening, and who may need extra time to complete assignments or work.

I do not know what the outcome of this historic election will be. Tonight
I, like many of you, will be anxiously watching the election returns,
knowing full well that we may not know the outcomes of many races—including
who will be our president—right away. I’m preparing to be patient as votes
are tallied, realizing that it may take days, or even weeks, to count the
record number of mail-in ballots cast. I take heart in that fact—the level
of engagement and voter turnout in this election is higher than it’s been
in generations, which I see as a clear sign of hope for our democracy.

I’ll also be reflecting on the ways we’ve come together as creative
citizens during this tumultuous year. I’m heartened by the creative
activism of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and humbled to be
part of this community.

This event—today’s election—has consumed our attention for weeks, for
months, maybe for the past four years. But this event is not an end in
itself. It marks just the beginning of what we must do to continue our
creative citizenship and find ways to help shape the kind of country and
society that we want.

I also want to acknowledge those of you who do not have the privilege of
casting a ballot in this election, yet are deeply affected by its outcome.
Although you may not be able to vote in this election, you do have a voice
in our collective future. Use that voice. Use it to advocate for the
society you want to see—for justice, equity, sustainability, the things
that are important to you.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the next step in our democratic experiment.
As we wait to see what the election brings, please be safe, be supportive,
and be kind to yourself and others. And be ready, no matter what happens,
to continue our work as creative citizens, activists, and designers of the
future we want to live in.

Take care,

Steve