The presidential race that often seemed to be never-ending has finally reached conclusion.

America voted.

John McCain and Sarah Palin will not be returning next week. They were our bottom two.

Barack Obama, overcoming incredible odds, accomplished what he set out to do. Now the eyes of the entire world are upon him. Millions upon millions of people are now waiting to watch—and test—his decision-making mettle. What will be the defining moment of this man’s character? Exactly what kind of puppy will this world leader’s daughters get? The future of America lies is this man’s hands, in his decision. Choose wisely, Obama. Choose wisely.

America celebrates the election of a new president and turns hopeful eyes toward a brighter future. But at the same time that our community celebrates one victory, we carry also the burden of loss. When the final ballots were counted, three states—Florida, Arizona and California—passed same-sex marriage bans. The California passage seems extra punitive and harsh, as it snatches away hard-fought-for rights—rights that were presumed to have been finally freed from legal and societal captivity. In Arkansas—in 2008, mind you—voters barred unmarried couples, gay or straight, from adopting children. What kind of people vote for something like this?

The progress and the movement continue—victory here, loss there. Slowly—painfully slowly, for many—we inch our way forward.

President-elect Obama’s election night speech was eloquent and meaningful. I stood among a large, lively and emotional crowd at the Oregon Convention Center and relished sharing the moment with so many people who were so intently listening and so emotionally vested in the words.

About halfway through his message I was especially taken by this call: “Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers—in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.”

This is where our new president spoke to me. This is where I see those of us who aren’t political activists, leaders and organizers finding our place in the new society. As members of the sexual minorites community, I have felt for some time that we could and should take on the task of working harder to help those among us who need our help.

“Work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.” This now becomes our call to action.

You might be asking, “What can I do?” Many of us are struggling to make ends meet financially. It can be hard to think about helping others when you wonder how you’re going to take care of yourself. Money is short, time is short. How do we look after each other?

Find a cause, a purpose and a position that mean something to you. In my case it’s hunger, specifically the lack of food available for many who find themselves in need. The organization I’ve chosen to support and to look after is Esther’s Pantry, a food bank that serves people affected by HIV/AIDS. I can feel that I’m doing my part by working with others to increase awareness. You can help by making small donations of food. For a bit of effort—and, yes, a bit of your hard-earned money—you can help us look after each other. If this is not a cause that resonates with you, let’s find one that will.

The work of the sexual minorities community continues. We all should be excited about what the future holds. The election of progressive and good men like Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate should give us hope and heart. At the same time, we must also recognize that our battles are largely ours to be fought and won.

With good allies and supporters to help, we must still look to our own community leaders to lead the charge. And as we work to mature as a movement, it is crucial that we recognize that our diverse and bountiful community will never be of one mindset. We will never be of one opinion, we will never be of one voice. We absolutely must allow ourselves the freedom to express opinion and dissenting voice from within our own ranks. We must demand that our leadership be open to questioning and scrutiny at all times. We must not close ourselves off into a place where we accept only like-minded people. As a community, and as individuals, we must move beyond acceptance of only those who validate our own beliefs. Finally, to continue to grow and persevere, we must recognize and accept that we will not always be in agreement and that there is value in contradiction.

Our 25th anniversary party is getting closer and closer. I now live in fear that someone will not get invited and feel left out or ignored.

Please, everyone, you are invited to attend the Just Out 25th anniversary party Nov. 22. Complete details are on the back cover. I really do hope to see you all there.

Finally, as the publisher of a small newspaper, I am only too aware of how rotten things are in the media business now. Therefore, I must give a shout-out to a local fella who has the nerves of steel to start up a new publication in these harsh financial times. Kudos and good luck to Cory Murphy and Fierce!NW, which he promotes as “the Northwest premier monthly men’s magazine.”