It’s rare to be inspired by government these days. The news feels heavy, bleak even. Since the 2024 election, we’ve seen the rapid dismantling of global alliances, veterans care, food support and education equity.
It’s been disorienting. And yet, just three months ago, that anguish dissolved when I welcomed a beautiful baby girl — my daughter — into the world. Still, with all the hope she brings, I find myself asking, “Where is the moment that calls us to something better?” Between March 31 and April 1, I heard it.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
, stood in the well of the U.S. Senate and spoke for 25 hours.
Not to stall, but to revive. Not to obstruct, but to awaken. He reminded us of what the Senate was meant to be — a place where moral clarity and courage rise above partisanship.
Our history is filled with moments when the Senate debated as the country teetered. In 1861, the Crittenden Compromise was rejected by the Senate while the Union dissolved. In 1919, the Senate rejected the League of Nations, and the world marched toward another war.
In 1957, the Civil Rights Act was gutted by a jury trial amendment that protected injustice. These weren’t just delays — they were lost chances to meet the moment. But Booker’s speech was different.
It wasn’t noise. It was a signal. It reminded us that resistance isn’t just about fighting bad policy.
It’s about pushing back against despair itself. And though we may not hold a Senate seat, we all have our own institu.
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