Mahoune Felix woke up Wednesday morning with a rush of emotions. The weight of the 2024 presidential election results hit her instantly: Vice President Kamala Harris had lost the race to former President Donald Trump. Stunned and struggling to process the outcome, the freshman undeclared major from Shelburne, Vermont, by way of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, grappled with what the loss meant for her as a student from an immigrant background.
“[It was] the first thing I saw when I woke up this morning, it [Trump’s victory] really hit me,” she said.
With 295 electoral votes as of Nov. 7, Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States, while Howard alumna Harris fell behind with only 226 electoral votes.
Throughout Harris’ 107-day campaign, she engaged directly with communities across the country, including HBCUs. Harris hosted much of her efforts on Howard’s campus, such as the Harris-Walz campaign election night watch party and her concession speech on The Yard.
“It’s okay to be sad and disappointed but please know it’s going to be okay,” Harris said during the speech, addressing the young people in the crowd.
Professors and students responded to Trump’s victory over Harris with a mix of disappointment and cautious optimism.
Keneshia Grant, an associate professor in Howard’s political science department, said she was concerned about Trump’s potential power and the future direction of the U.S. government under his leadership.
“I’m not surprised and [I’m] a little worried about the road ahead,” she said. “[I am] hoping that he was being inflammatory on the campaign trail, but does not hope to or will not govern in all the ways that he talks about on the trail.”
Grant also noted that the election has sparked intense debate over the country’s deep political divide.
“I think it’s too early to know who voted for who,” she said, advising against drawing hasty conclusions from exit polls. “Black men have supported the Democratic Party at the second highest rate, only after Black women.”
Grant suggested that attention should shift to white women as a key demographic in determining electoral outcomes.
Alexandria Johnson, a freshman English major from Boston, said she was disappointed and fatigued after the election.
While watching social media reactions unfold, Johnson felt frustrated that Trump had won against another female candidate. This led her to reconsider America’s views on women in leadership positions.
“It doesn’t matter the race, but he won against women…America just hates women,” she said.
Johnson expressed her frustration with the country’s political landscape, noting that figures like Trump have remained prominent since Barack Obama’s presidency.
“So many people have just lost their rights and their will to live,” she said. “It’s saddening to see that people would rather choose taxes over humans.”
Felix once envisioned a future shaped by Harris’ administration. Now, she feels a sense of disappointment.
“Coming from a place where gang violence and political upheaval are constant, it’s disgraceful that we, who have a choice, elected this,” she said.
Following the election results, HUSA released a statement “recogniz[ing] the disappointing outcome of the 2024 presidential election,” and encouraged students to schedule appointments with the university’s counseling services.
“Bison, let this be a testament to you all that being a product of this historic change-making and illustrious university can and will continue to impact this world,” the statement read.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
