Politics and Current
How do you actually win the black vote? ESSENCE’s Black Futures Now contest winners remind us that flattery doesn’t work

This Black History Month, three of our inaugural Black Futures Now honorees joined ESSENCE on a panel to debate voters’ issues in the next presidential election yr.
Maisie Brown is organizing efforts to offer drinking water in response to the ongoing water crisis in Jackson, Missouri, and was named College Woman of the Year by Glamor magazine. Alphonso David is a nationally recognized LGBTQ civil rights lawyer and president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. Alicia Garza is co-founder of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and Black Lives Matter Global Network and founding father of Black Futures Lab.
What gives our changemakers hope for the future, and particularly the Black agenda, in the context of this yr’s 2024 presidential election?
As someone who works with young people daily, Brown says she and her peers “don’t agree with 99% of what’s going on in the world.” But they should not satisfied with stagnation and lamentation on this state – “my generation has quite a lot of energy. We have quite a lot of really modern ideas. We think globally and really have the energy to do whatever we want to do to get the results we would like.”
Garza echoed this sentiment, stating that “one of the things that I think is so important about the way we have shaped this world is our imagination and the innovation that we bring to every major social issue. There is no problem on this planet that is not impacted by Black people, and not only our creativity, but also our courage to imagine something new, and not just imagine it, but to fight for it and be at the front of the line We fight not only for us, but for everyone.”
David said he was “truly hopeful for many reasons: firstly, because of the resilience of our community despite the constant attacks against us. Secondly, I think there has been an increase in the number of Black-owned businesses, which is really tangible evidence of our progress. Another is Black voters, who continue to play a key motivator in key election races across the country. During this challenging time, leaders across organizations are showing a greater willingness to truly collaborate and advance equality.”
When it comes to selecting the right candidate and what we are able to do beyond going to the polls on Election Day, our panelists gave us specific guidelines to use on the ground.
Brown wants you to “visit your legislators’ websites, see who your legislator is, and look at the legislation that they sponsor, that they write, that they support, and put them on the line for it.”
For David, all of it comes right down to “economic opportunity and economic justice.” “We need to think about the values that we try to reflect in our elected officials and make sure that we vote for people who reflect our values and hold them accountable when they don’t deliver.” By remaining “civicly engaged beyond the election” by attending town halls and candidate forums, you can “hold them accountable.”
“Don’t sit. Politics is not a snack machine,” Garza concluded emphatically. “You have to keep your foot on their necks. And if you don’t like what’s going on… I don’t like it either. But you can also be part of governance, creating rules and changing them. You can either run for office or you can put forward the policies that you want and take those things through committees all the way to the governor or the mayor and say, “You have to sign this bill.” Because this will feed my family.”
Politics and Current
Viral photo of Trump’s “White Farmer” – comes from Congo, not South Africa

President Donald Trump created a very spectacle through the Wednesday oval meeting of the office with the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphos, attempting to strengthen his claim for the white “genocide” on this country. However, some of Trump’s evidence presented proved to be false.
Trump issued many printed articles and played almost 5-minute video assembly to reporters within the White House, which, he claimed, proved that white African farmers were victims of genocide in South Africa.
“Death, death, death,” said Trump, when he was holding one printed article after the opposite after restoring the film about what, he claimed, were “funeral places” “over a thousand” white farmers who were murdered by the presumably black inhabitants of South Africa. However, Factcheck.org He determined that the video actually showed an indication at 2020 – not the burial place – to attract attention to the death of farmers of all breeds, not just white farmers.
President Trump also showed an image of what, he claimed, were bags with white farmers who were murdered in South Africa; However, Reuters Reported that the painting was humanitarian employees who bury the organs within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Outlet said that the image was a screen printing of Reuters in February after deadly battles against rebels supported by Rwandy who captured town of Goma.
Trump’s emphasis on white genocide going down in South Africa occurs after years of conspiracy theories from far -right groups. He was strengthened by the billionaire Elon Musk, born in South Africa, who’s a detailed advisor to the president and runs the Department of the White House.
While crime in South Africa is high, the information show that almost all of the victims of the murder within the country – over 26,000 in 2024 – was actually black. As for the farmers themselves, only 44 murders were related to farmers. Only 7 of these murders were white.
In the middle of an actual conflict with farmers in South Africa there’s a disproportionate amount of land belonging to white African farmers, consequently of a ten -year Apartheid system in a rustic that shared and deprived of civil rights of Black South African Africa. Although they constitute only 7% of the population, they’ve 75% of arable land.
The act signed by President Cyril Ramaphos in January was geared toward starting the legislative process to repair the inequalities of land. It mainly allows the federal government to take over private land. President Trump has repeatedly pointed to the fitting as proof that they’re the goal of white farmers. However, the federal government of South Africa stated that no land was taken over. The government also said that as an alternative he tried to encourage white farmers to sell his land willingly, says Reuters.

Trump’s fascination on pushing lies about South Africa and treating white farmers was criticized by activists as an try and push the white policy of Greivance, which reflects the policy of Trump’s anti-dei-dei policy within the United States.
He continued: “As a master of racists, he knows well that black resistance and black perfection must be fully gutted to realize the global vision of Trump of the uncontrollable rule of” white “.
(Tagstranslate) Donald Trump
Politics and Current
Trump removes truck drivers who don’t speak English

Truck drivers can have to pass the CDL exam and test that they will speak English. According to the Secretary for Transport, Sean Duffy signed a directive enabling the American Department of Transport To remove truck drivers who are usually not fluent in English. The transfer of Duffya directly responds to the ordinance of President Donald Trump on April 28.
According to the order, Trump directed a seek for testing of proficiency in English and law enforcement policy. In 2016, under the rule of former President Barack Obama, the Federal Safety Administration of a motor carrier (FMCS) removed the penalty for putting drivers for serving for violation of federal proficiency in English. Obama’s administration softened punishment for a quote.
However, Trump’s executive order changes him back to forcing drivers from the road.
“The policy of my administration is the support of American trucks and protecting our roads by enforcing the joint English language requirement in English and removing unnecessary regulatory loads that undermine the working conditions of American truck drivers.” Trump states in his executive orderadding that “it will help to provide a safe, safe and efficient car carrier industry.”
Fears of truck drivers who speak English because the second language
American Truck Association He praised Trump for a brand new punishment In accordance with the order within the statement.
“Thank you to Trump’s administration for the response to our fears regarding the uneven application of this existing regulation, and we are waiting for cooperation with FMCS and the law enforcement authorities at the objective, coherent and effective standard of enforcement.”
However, others are afraid that the brand new guidelines will result in discrimination on the road, because law enforcement agencies resolve who to stop to perform an proficiency test in English.
According to data from the Transport Department, almost 4% of CDL owners are limited in English proficiency. It is estimated that 16% discover as immigrants.
“Is it someone who has an accent, or maybe someone who wears a turban?” Mannirmal Kur, senior federal policy manager at Sikh Coalition, said: “An order outside the service may be potentially unemployment for a truck driver … With a potentially limited appeal.”
(Tagstranslate) Trump Administration
Politics and Current
The mayor of Newark Ras Baraka released after arrest in protests at the Immigration Center: “I did nothing bad” – essence

Photo of Ken Betancur/AFP by Getty Images
The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Barak Ras, passed free on Friday evening after spending hours in federal detention after arrest in a controversial immigration detention in Delaney Hall – an object that fought to refrain from opening in his city.
Barak was arrested during the protest in the newly opened ice retention site, which, as with other critics, has no appropriate permits and inspections, According to CNN. Standing in front of the crowd of fans after releasing it, he simplified: “In fact I did nothing wrong.”
Although he did not take details about the arrest – legal advice – the mayor clearly stated that he was standing in Solidarity with the community, including immigrants, which, he claims, are unfairly targeted.
“Everyone here, each of us, does not care what origin you come from, what nationality, what language you speak,” he said. “At some point we have to stop these people from causing the division between us.”
The barrack, which in 2025 is applying after the replacing the governor Phil Murphy, was open in his opposition to the private penal complex of 1000 led by the Geo Group. He claims that he should never open, pointing to unsolved fears regarding security and the lack of appropriate permits to the city.
The mayor’s wife, Linda Barak, accused the federal government of aiming at her husband. “They didn’t arrest anyone else. They didn’t ask anyone to leave. They wanted to make an example from the mayor,” she said.
According to ABC News, there was a barrack accused of entering– Depot, which results in 30 days in prison and a advantageous of USD 500. He was released without Bond after a brief speech before judge Andre Espinos.
Federal officials claim that the mayor ignored the repetitive warnings about leaving the rooms. USE temporary lawyer Alina Habba published on X this barrack “He decided to ignore the law.” But the video from the stage shows that the barraka was arrested after returning to public property outside the gate.
He wasn’t alone. It was joined by members of the Congress Delegation in New Jersey – including representatives of Bonnie Watson Coleman, Lamonica Mciver and Rob Menendez Jr. – who said they were “pushed”, “pushed” and “managed” by federal agents who tried to accompany the mayor.
“They just caught and took him,” said Watson Coleman, adding ABC News, adding that there was no clear explanation at that point.
Mciver, who said that she and others were physically treated during the try to de -escallion, called the unacceptable situation.
“We were simply rough handling-doses,” she said. “Nobody raised his fists to hit us, but they pushed us, pushed us and removed us to get to the mayor.”
The Internal Security Department adopted a unique view by accusing the members of the Congress of “storming” the object. Deputy Secretary Tric McLaughlin said in an announcement that if a visit was asked, it might be awarded.
Governor Phil Murphy called the arrest of the barracks “unfair”, noting that the state has already banned private immigration centers – and that the Murphy administration is fighting to take care of this right in court.
“The mayor of Barak is an exemplary official who has always defended our most sensitive neighbors,” said Murphy. “I call on his immediate release by federal law enforcement agencies.”
US Senator Cory Booker, who once took place as a mayor, called the arrest “a disturbing, unnecessary and indicating tactics undermining the safety and safety of our communities.”
Regardless of whether the case is moving forward in court, critics say that it was not about an immigration plant – it was about sending a message. And they consider that the mayor was directed to stand up.
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