A Day of Waiting and Celebration in the Bay Area
It was very exciting to see how the day of the election would turn out as the sun went down. People all over the country were eagerly waiting for the polls to close and the results of the historically rough election to show who would be the next president.
In the Bay Area, where Kamala Harris lives, the anxiety was especially strong because she could become the next president of the United States.
A Pilgrimage to Kamala Harris’s Childhood Home
In West Berkeley, many people who were worried about the election day went to see Kamala Harris’ childhood home to calm down. They took selfies outside of the small yellow bungalow to remember the historic day that could see the country’s first woman president chosen.
Diana Shapiro, a resident of the area, happily put up posters for Harris and predicted a spontaneous street party in their neighborhood, “Poet’s Corner,” if Harris won.
Bay Area Residents Hold Their Breath
While everyone in the Bay Area held their breath, parties for election day were already going strong across the Bay Bridge. In downtown San Francisco, the streets around John’s Grill were closed off and packed with happy people early in the afternoon for the restaurant’s annual election day lunch.
Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was there and was sure Kamala Harris would win. Even though the polls were still open for a few more hours, he called it the “first celebration of her victory,” which made the early election day celebrations even more exciting.
The Weight of History in the Balance
Not only was the possible win exciting, but it also felt like history was being made. As people left the voting places, especially in Oakland, they could feel how important the moment was.
For many, voting for a woman of color from their city made them feel proud of their city and the country as a whole.
Voters who really cared about Kamala Harris, like Kasper Dilmaghani, said they got chills just thinking about the fact that they voted for a Black woman from Oakland for president.
A New Moment in History
The excitement made it seem like a new time in history was about to begin. Many people were hopeful that the election results would start a new era in the history of the country.
People were excited and nervous about the possibility of electing Kamala Harris, a local hero and woman of color, to the nation’s top office. They also felt proud of their choice.
The Bay Area was getting closer to their long-awaited party with each tick of the clock and tweet from poll watchers who were excited about the results. They were quietly hoping that the daughter of Oakland would make history.
