I watched Michelle Obama’s speech for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, and I admit, it was moving. Michelle Obama, who also happens to be a Capricorn – the zodiac sign associated with pragmatism, ambition, and success – spoke a lot about the promise of America. She spoke about the promise of an all-inclusive America that fights back in the face of tyranny, cruelty, and separatism, and the hard work that’s required to fulfill this promise. Yet, despite her captivating speech, it didn’t leave me feeling motivated to act in the way it did for so many other people. Instead, it left me feeling more conflicted and exhausted than anything else.
Actually... let me back up for a second and say that it wasn’t entirely the speech that made me feel overwhelmed; it was the infuriating and tired takeaway that many got from it: that Black women will be the ones to save this country. In fact, this was an actual tweet from someone just minutes after Mrs. Obama spoke. I mean, it’s not enough that we’re expected to show up for our jobs, our families, and our communities, but we’re expected to do it while also trying to thrive, let alone survive, in the very same country that demonizes Black women and blames us for Trump’s win in 2016?
Wow. 
Wow. I’m going to take a breath and be very real with y’all for a minute. When I was invited to write this piece, I wanted to say no. I really didn’t want to write it. I didn’t want to write about how tired, angry, and sad I am of living in a country that not only detests the essence of who I am and those I love, and has systematically done everything it can possibly do to rip away Black personhood -- from Jim Crow, to redlining, to the prison pipeline, to a pandemic response that disproportionately harms Black people -- but also places the responsibility of saving it, time and time again, solely on Black women like me. Yet, I did write this piece. I wrote it because I also realize that the astrology of the moment is not just about being angry and fed up (and rightfully so) with America’s hypocrisy or it’s dark past. It’s also about taking a long and unflinchingly honest look at the work ahead of us and still digging in and doing it anyway. Because if we don’t do it, who will?
And so, if you’re worried like I am about this year’s election being stolen, or upset at the possibility of seeing candidates elected into office that will do more harm than good, then I ask you to join me in doing something about it: vote in the upcoming presidential election.
Expecting Black women or other marginalized communities to single-handedly rescue this country is a problem.
Now, I’m not saying that voting is THE ONLY answer to our problems -- neither is Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris. But NOT voting is a problem. Expecting Black women or other marginalized communities to single-handedly rescue this country is a problem. And willingly opting out of doing something to address America’s severe issues is a problem, too, because it not only rests on the idea that someone else will clean up the mess, but also rests on the assumption that everyone will have the means to up and leave or sufficiently survive if things take an even darker turn. As we strive to not give in to these traps, astrology can provide us insight into how we can move forward.
Jupiter, the planet of optimism, morals, and good fortune, has been traveling through Capricorn since December 8, 2019, and will be staying there until December 19, 2020 -- well past the election in November. As it travels, it’s been hard to avoid sinking down into the darker side of Capricorn, which can manifest as hopelessness, cynicism, and a sort of tight-fistedness that makes us only want to look out for our own interests (Michelle Obama also spoke about this permeating attitude). But I also think that it’s no coincidence that Jupiter, the planet named after the Roman god and symbolic of the growth we experience by learning meaningful lessons, is giving us a master class on “god help those who help themselves.” Although here, the lesson is less about individuals being miserly in their approach and more about everyone doing the hard work necessary to get to where we want to go.
Voting presents an opportunity for you and for everyone to do their part. And beyond voting, there are so many other ways to fight for a system that will honor each and every one of our voices: doing what we can to stop gerrymandering (like voting in local and state elections), preventing election tampering (supporting vote-by-mail or signing up as a poll worker), or working to overhaul the entire voting system as it stands (volunteering with voting rights organizations, or even, running for elected office to create new structural policies!). In doing any one of these things, we are holding elected officials’ feet to the fire and making sure they do their jobs as promised and promote progress.
Honestly, y’all, we have a tough road ahead and there will never not be work to do when it comes to building our future. But that’s what the best of this Jupiter in Capricorn transit is teaching us: when hard work and perseverance is coupled with faith, we can move mountains.
Mecca Woods is a New York City-based astrologer and author who works to help others create a life they truly want using their natural-born gifts. Her writing and astro-guidance have appeared in places like Bustle, Essence, and on TLC. Her book, Astrology for Happiness and Success is out now.
