Over 40, 000 Black men took part in a digital funding call the day after Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination to find out how important her campaign could be.
The four-hour phone featured important Black figures, including politicians, activists, and entertainers, who discussed the challenges Harris had face, especially the expected racist and sexist attacks from opponents. Some members pledged their support by sharing their own personal accounts of their interactions with Harris.
The Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul, remarked on a vital point:” Sometimes we get confused as to what power is, and often we believe that standing behind a Black person as a head does not exhibit the same level of strength as Black men.” Raoul emphasized that supporting Harris demonstrates strength, not weakness. ” I’m standing behind a Black woman to be president of the United States, and it does n’t make me any less of a Black man”, he asserted, reported NYT.
The telephone stressed the importance of mobilizing Black men’s support, who have previously been against using Black women in high positions. Some Black people have long supported Democrats, but some still refuse to support Black people for important positions, which has potential implications for Harris ‘ campaign.
Moya Bailey, a Northwestern University teacher, highlighted the unique issues faced by Black women in leadership roles. She was quoted by the NYT as saying,” Patriarchy is not exclusive to the Black people, but the effects are much higher,” citing a historic reluctance among some Dark men to support Black female rulers.
The voice of the call was related to that of other Black female officials who had suspicion in the form of Shirley Chisholm and Stacey Abrams. When Chisholm, the second Black woman to be elected to Congress, submitted a 1972 Democratic presidential campaign petition against her. Absemy’s” Stacey and the Fellas” meetings addressed concerns about her support for Black men in Georgia during her 2022 presidential campaign.
Some Black males who are dissatisfied with the Democratic Party’s steps on their priorities say she faces more challenges because of her previous prosecutorial experience. Surveys have revealed a connect between Black citizens and the Democratic Party, with some Black people supporting Trump in new elections.
Harris ‘ plan advisers are aware that their support for him might be affected by Trump’s appeal to Black people. Trump has made contentious assertions, including that Harris has just begun using his race to gain political advantage. This speech, along with Trump’s promotion strategies, has more complicated Harris ‘ efforts to connect with Black female voters.
Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, urged Black men to support Harris, emphasizing her qualifications and experience. According to Morial,” An American British man needs to talk to African American women about why he would choose Trump over an African American woman.”
While Harris has made leaps in engaging Black people, including organizing discussions with officials and addressing their fears, W. Mondale Robinson, creator of the Black Male Voter Project, noted continuing problems. Because there is n’t enough trust in politicians, Robinson said,” Everything she says will be looked at with a side eye from Black men.”
Despite these hurdles, some watchers believe Harris ‘ election represents progress. Senior lecturer in African American research Jason Nichols noted that while Black men may not perceive themselves as plainly in Harris as they do in Barack Obama, they do so in accordance with her nomination. ” You see the group coming up to voting their best interest — which, in this case, is a Black woman”, Nichols said.
