Annie Todor's blog

My parents met in a half-way house in Chicago.  My mom suffered from a mental illness and my dad had little family support with this alcohol addiction and lack of purpose in life.  My mom became pregnant with me at the half-way house, got married to my dad, and tried to make their marriage work.  It wasn't long before their relationship broke down completely.  My mom was pregnant with me when she was in Elgin State Mental hospital.  She escaped and jumped off a bridge into a body of water while she was 7 months pregnant with me.  A woman found her and she was placed in solitary confinement for the rest of her pregnancy with me.  I was going to be given up for adoption at birth but my grandparents showed up to take me from birth until three years old. Life was lonely and hard without my parents.  My Aunt took my brother and me in when I was 9 years old and we became a part of a blended family.  Even though I was raised by my Aunt, I was in constant contact with my parents:  talking

Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and first South Asian American woman to become vice-president elect, started her victory speech with a quote from John Lewis, who stated, "Democracy is not a state it is an act. Kamala, dressed in an all-white suit, stood poised and confident as she delivered, "and what that meant was... that America's Democracy is not guaranteed.  It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.  We the people have the power to build." Her speech focused on acknowledging that we the people have suffered but also emphasized the ability we have to be resilient and full of courage.   She addressed all women (Black, Asian, White, Native American as she spoke about her mother, who at 19 years of age came from India for a better life. She spoke to empower women as they have paved the way for equality and that Black women are the backbone of our democracy. Kamala displayed strength and vision as she ended her speech stating that, she is the firs