We have a duty to carry out on Election Day. No matter what, the sun will rise the day after | Opinion

Morning in America, again.

We’re all going into next week wondering two things: What will happen? And what happens after that? Many of us sense that we are hurtling toward the most consequential national election in our lifetimes, a decision point that will bring judgment on what we stand for as a nation.

Surrounding this extraordinary moment, we are also managing the ongoing tension and anxiety of a global pandemic that shows no intention of backing off. The economy we depend on for survival and opportunity struggles through the unrelenting, mounting impact of public spaces contracting, leaving many essential workers wondering how they will make ends meet. Our small businesses are similarly under duress as they struggle to navigate uncertain conditions for reopening.

The things we hold dear as Americans, the hope and optimism that drive us, are threatened with catastrophic pressure. Still, we work toward the shared goals of restoring public health and rebuilding the economy. These ideas don’t compete, in fact, they go hand in hand, but in the middle of a surge of infections, we all wonder how much more we can take.

When previous generations of Americans woke after Election Day, often the stakes were no less important than they are today. Many times, our forebears cast their votes when everything was on the line. In fact, it is a relatively new phenomenon that we all secured the right to participate. We are within living memory of a time when many Americans were disenfranchised from their basic right to vote. We’re within decades from when Blacks fought for and won a real voice in our democracy.

But despite those gains, the democratic experiment in the United States is far from complete. Today, we worry about long lines at polling places and trouble with our ballots arriving on time and being counted safely. While we agonize that somehow, we are failing the promise of America, we must also pause to reflect that no right exists without diligence. Our rights are continuously pushed and pulled into reality. When it comes to exercising self-representation at the ballot box, to elect a government of and by the people, our work is not done. We are still taking the test.

For Latinos this election means many things. As an incredibly diverse community, we come with many histories to this moment in the United States. We’ve helped build this democracy, this economy and our incredible communities. We are not homogenous, but we share a common commitment to democracy, freedom and justice.

In our own histories, some recent and some distant, we have known the terrible costs of elections that turn away from democratic norms. We know well what it looks like for the politics of a nation to undermine the rule of law and the damage of undermining free and fair elections. Many of us, our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents sacrificed everything to participate in the story of America. Whether your family traces its roots to Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico or elsewhere in Latin America, we understand how important good governance, transparency and accountability are for the health of society. Our community has firsthand knowledge of what happens when these break down, are ignored and even attacked. We may differ politically, but not democratically.

Next week we move, collectively, from “what if?” to “what Is.” This means getting out of bed and looking in the mirror, across the fence and across the street at each other and deciding that we can get to a better place. We need to know that we did all we could. Whatever happens on Nov. 3, we will confront the challenges we face together. Healthcare costs and runaway student debt continue to saddle so many of our families with an unspoken tax on opportunity. Climate change is accelerating, with increasing venom for the Gulf states and the Caribbean. Millions of us are going to vote in this election while struggling to make ends meet.

However you vote on Nov. 3, we all are accountable for generating the courage to meet our moment. In our local communities, in our houses of worship, studios and our startups — we can’t wait and see if the American Dream is alive when we go to bed on Tuesday night. We have to commit that, no matter the price, we’re prepared to unite and hold this country together. We have the strength and we share the responsibility.

Nov. 3 is the alarm. Stand up, engage and vote.

On Nov. 4, the sun rises on America, again.

Luis A. Miranda Jr. has been an advocacy and policy leader in the public and private sectors. He is the founding partner of The MirRam Group, founding president of the Hispanic Federation and board chair of the Latino Victory Fund.