HOPE CAN BE ELECTED, TOO

We talk a lot about threats, setbacks, and rights at risk. We also need to talk about what keeps us going.

The election of Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, as governor of New Mexico is one such moment. As the first Indigenous woman elected governor of a U.S. state, she breaks a historic barrier in a country marked by violence against its Indigenous peoples.

Amid Democratic victories in these elections, her achievement invites us to consider five possibilities for change.

1. Expanding our vision of who can govern

For an Indigenous girl, seeing a woman from her community become governor can change how she imagines her own future. Representation has a tangible impact: it helps challenge the roles society insists on assigning to certain people.

2. Bringing different experiences into decision-making

Those who govern help set priorities, allocate resources, and shape public policy. Increasing the presence of women and historically excluded peoples can create space for demands long kept far from the centers of power. That potential must translate into commitments and results.

3. Strengthening Indigenous participation in environmental decisions

Water, land, and environmental protection are deeply connected to Indigenous peoples’ lives. Their participation can broaden perspectives and strengthen policies that serve their communities. A leader’s identity alone does not guarantee this outcome, but her election opens a possibility that deserves attention and accountability.

4. Renewing confidence in democratic action

At a time of exclusionary rhetoric, achievements like this show that people can still build majorities, confront barriers, and shape the future. Organizing, mobilizing, and voting remain pathways to change.

5. Recognizing the strength of collective struggles

No woman breaks a barrier of this magnitude alone. A historic victory carries generations of resistance, social movements, and people who persisted when change seemed distant. Celebrating it also means recognizing that work.

One election cannot undo centuries of inequality. Its impact will depend on government decisions, public participation, and the ability to turn representation into rights.

But we need to recognize when a door opens. Here in Brazil, too, it reminds us that decision-making spaces must reflect the diversity of those who live with the consequences.

Hope grows stronger when it finds concrete reasons to endure. And celebrating one achievement can be part of the work of building the next.