ONWARDS
“Hope Is Our Greatest Weapon”: New Yorkers React to the Presidential Election
Singers on Election Night 2024.
TUESDAY 10:29 PM NOVEMBER 5, 2024 BROOKLYN
You could hardly squeeze through the bar at Singer’s on Election Night. At the popular Brooklyn gay bar, the room buzzed with nerves and the audible sighs of more than a few drunk patrons. And as the night droned on and it became increasingly clear that Donald Trump was pulling ahead of Kamala Harris, the tequila began to flow. In the backyard, where the returns were projected on a giant brick wall, groups of friends huddled together to smoke cigarettes and track the results from various battleground states. Chi Ossé, the NYC council member from the 36th District who hosted the event, chanted “Fuck Donald Trump!” with increasingly frequency.
Meanwhile, at Brooklyn’s Center for Performance Research, the political agitator Crackhead Barney guided us through the results with her trademark frenzied commentary, taping herself to a sex doll and wailing on the ground as swing states were called for Trump. The night was punctuated by interpretive dance, noise sets, and a Japanese tea ritual before we headed to the Lower East Side space Earth to watch a diplomatic split-screen while drinking copious amounts of wine. Amidst it all, we pulled aside New Yorkers of every stripe to get their thoughts on the bitter end of a long and draining presidential campaign.
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CHI OSSÉ | NEW YORK CITY COUNCILMAN
Chi Ossé, photographed by Emma Stout.
“The fight doesn’t end whoever the next president is, right? We have so much work to do. I believe in this country, and I’ve seen how it’s bettered itself over decades, over a vast period of time. Hope is our greatest weapon.”
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KYLA GORDON | CURATOR AND RESEARCHER
Kyla Gordon, photographed by Mekala Rajagopal.
“Frankly, I feel a little numb. I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m also not surprised. Whoever would have won, there’s still a fight ahead. We still have to keep lifting each other up. It was a fun evening, and Crackhead Barney really made a fun distraction. It was nice to be together. But I’m a little numb.”
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GLOSSO | ARTIST
Glosso, photographed by Mekala Rajagopal.
“I’d describe it as exhilarating. As a political system, [ours is] totally inadequate and doesn’t represent any of my personal values. But as just raw aesthetic potency, it’s exceptional.”
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DAN DABROWSKI | SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Dan Dabrowski, photographed by Mekala Rajagopal.
“I’m not registered in New York but I mailed a vote in for Kamala. I’m disappointed that Trump is winning, but I’m also not really shocked. I’m like, maybe the Democrats are gonna listen to the left’s demands more now that Michigan and Wisconsin aren’t turning out for Kamala. It’s 2 a.m. They haven’t called a winner yet, but it feels like Trump’s gonna win. I’m hoping the left can use this to make the Democrats more sympathetic. I kind of picked a candidate and checked out of it.”
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PEARL EMERSON | WRITER
Pearl Emerson, photographed by 2024.
“I’m trying to get through the damn night surrounded by people that I love. No matter what happens, tomorrow will come. We brought board games, I brought my knitting supplies. We were lucky enough to get seats. We’re here for community and in order to not be alone. Remember to get eight hours of sleep a night, continue to go to work, and call your parents.”
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ERIK ESCOBAR | SINGER’S EVENTS DIRECTOR
KELLY MCCARTHY | PHOTOGRAPHER
Erik Escobar and Kelly McCarthy, photographed by Emma Stout.
“Levity, that’s the vibe we’re going for right now. Regardless of how this all shakes out, all these crazy people on both sides aren’t just going to disappear into thin air. They still continue to live, and you’re gonna actually have to see them in three weeks at Thanksgiving. I’m someone who’s HIV positive. Thankfully, I’m undetectable. I have access to medication. I have access to healthcare. I have access to a lot of things that thousands of people died for. But every election cannot be the election of our lives. I’m 31. You’re telling me I have to do this every four years for the rest of my life? That’s crazy. Something’s gone horribly wrong.”
“I feel okay. We’re in Brooklyn, we’re in a bubble. If I got pregnant today, I could get that fixed tomorrow if I wanted to. But I’m just very grateful that locally, we feel a little safe. I’m mostly concerned about everyone else. Yes, people are racist and misogynistic. But voters haven’t forgotten that during COVID, Trump gave them money. I was the richest I ever was when I was on unemployment getting 600 dollars. I was like a fat cat on Wall Street. Many people in America are still dealing with the fact that their families don’t have jobs.”
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JULIA VIELE | STUDENT
KEANA BASTIDAS | ACTOR
Julia Viele and Keane Bastidas, photographed by Emma Stout.
“I’m nervous for my American friends and for my future of trying to stay in this country. This is our first time being in the United States for an election, and it’s pretty fucking wild. I’m happy to be in this backyard with a bunch of Democrats. It’s pretty chaotic but filled with a lot of love.”
“The dad of the kid I babysit for told me tonight that he’s pro-life. He told me he loves his sons so much and wouldn’t have it any other way. Meanwhile, he has two nannies, a grandmother, and a housewife that stays home all the time to watch his kids.”
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