Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) recently used the phrase "woke was crazy" during a nationally televised interview, prompting a discussion regarding the evolution of political language and the legacy of 2020 activism. The comment, made on August 11, referred to positions held by democratic socialists four years ago and suggested that candidates should be evaluated based on their current stances rather than past rhetoric.
The term "woke" has long historical roots in Black political consciousness, originating with figures such as Marcus Garvey and the musician Lead Belly in the early 20th century. While it was used as a warning to stay alert to systemic dangers, it entered mainstream global discourse following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Since then, the term has been increasingly utilized by political opponents, including in the title of Florida legislation designed to restrict certain types of race-related training and instruction.
Andrea D. Pringle, a Democratic campaigner, argued in an August 21 essay that dismissing the language of 2020 risks erasing the underlying vigilance that Black communities have used for survival. Pringle noted that while there were "real excesses" and instances of provocation over persuasion in 2020 activism, she cautioned against labeling the entire period of consciousness as an embarrassment or a mistake.
The scale of this shift involves millions of people who participated in the 2020 protests, which were prompted by documented events like the death of George Floyd. For an individual organizer or voter, the change in political language can result in a perceived hollowing out of their vocabulary, where terms used to describe their day-to-day legal and social reality are reframed as political liabilities or "slurs." This affects how community members in the aforementioned four states perceive their inclusion in the broader national political strategy.
The shift in language signals a potential change in how the Democratic Party and its candidates will frame civil rights and social justice issues in future elections. While Pringle acknowledges that political strategies must evolve and that "woke" may no longer be the most effective word for communication, she states that the underlying vigilance remains a necessity for Black Americans to recognize danger and organize for rights. The next steps for this discourse involve ongoing debates within political parties about which 2020-era slogans to retain or retire as they prepare for upcoming legislative and electoral cycles.