As a black woman living in Florida, I have seen it with my own eyes and experienced it firsthand. Confederate, racist, patriarchal attitudes still persist in this country. As a mother, I live with the constant fear that my children will grow up in a world where they may and will be killed on their way home for no reason other than the color of their skin. My religion teaches me to have faith, but I know that faith without work is foolishness. I also know two things for certain about black women: we work hard and we fight hard.

Historically, Black women have borne the brunt of injustices arising from social and economic structures, and yet we persevere without mercy. That is why, as a community leader, I have faith in Black women who can and will stand up every day and change the world.

Now is the time for our national leaders to do the same. It is time for our leaders to put their faith in Black women who will continue to pave the way for righteous progress. It is time for Joe Biden to choose a black woman as his vice president.

We can talk about specific campaign strategies and attractive policy proposals for the Biden campaign to consider, but the reality is that there is no more critical and talked-about decision in a presidential campaign than choosing a running mate. With all that is happening in our political environment right now, we need a vice presidential candidate who understands firsthand the systemic racism that is deeply woven into the fabric of this country, and on Tuesday, November 3, we need someone who will energize, inspire, and move the most important, yet most underappreciated voting bloc in the Democratic Party to the polls. We need someone who will face adversity, overcome it, and get them to the polls. Someone strong who has faced and overcome adversity. We need someone who represents the electorate. We need black women.

Since the turn of the century, presidential elections have focused on Florida, not only because of the massive vote recount in 2000, but also because of the divisive Supreme Court case of Bush v. Gore (opens in new tab), which ultimately put George W. Bush in the Oval Office the Sunshine State was in the spotlight. President Barack Obama is the only Democrat to win the state's electoral votes since Bill Clinton was reelected in 1996; in 2016, President Trump managed to win by just 1.2 points (opens in new tab). And in 2018, Andrew Gillum, the first black gubernatorial candidate in Florida history, lost to Republican Ron DeSantis by less than 1%.

Despite close wins and narrow losses, black women consistently show up and turn out on Election Day, making them one of the most active voting blocs (open in new tab) In the 2016 election, turnout was lower than in the previous two presidential elections (open in new tab) but more than 90% (open in new tab) of black women voters cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton. And in the 2018 midterm elections, 92% of black women who voted also voted Democratic (open in new tab). If Trump loses Florida in 2020, it will not only puncture his morbidly inflated self-esteem but also extinguish his chances of reelection. But for Joe Biden to win, he needs black voters in Florida. Specifically, black women need to vote spectacularly.

Over the past two months, Black Lives Matter has become one of the most influential movements in American history (opens in new tab). Millions of people across the United States have taken to the streets to demand change in the country's crumbling institutions. This massive mobilization demonstrates that there is a longing for Black voices to be heard, to advocate for change, and to make this country a compassionate and inclusive space for all.

It is unrealistic for many of us, myself included, to envision a black woman's name on the ballot for Vice President and her working in the White House. Symbolism alone will mobilize a significant number of black voters to vote, but we want the country to know that she is serious, not just building. By putting a black woman at the top, we want it to be a clear indicator that the blatant acceptance of racism, injustice, and unfairness that we have endured from the current administration no longer exists in this country. We also need someone credible who can hold Biden accountable to the base of supporters who will ultimately determine Biden's victory.

At a time when many people are angry at the status quo and feel left out of our country's political process, it is crucial to engage them and promise to find meaningful solutions to these centuries-old problems. This cannot be done effectively without representation on the ticket. Eradicating the systemic racism that underlies America cannot be done without the voices of the very people who have suffered that racism. Having black women on the ballot is the best way to ensure that our concerns are sincerely fought for and that we are on the path to truly realizing the promise of democracy in this country.