Politics and Current
What Would a Kamala Harris Presidency Mean for Black Women? – Essence
(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
President Biden sent shockwaves through Washington by abruptly ending his campaign on Sunday and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Influential Biden supporters like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez anxious that eliminating Biden wouldn’t routinely donor support for Kamala Harrisblack woman. But Harris’ entry into the race injected a shot of energy and money into what had develop into a demoralizing Democratic presidential campaign.
As many as 44,000 Black women joined the Win With Black Women Zoom call, and in only three hours, it raised greater than $1 million for Harris. ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platformhe tweeted that $46.7 million flowed into Kamala Harris’ campaign in 7 hours, making Sunday “the largest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle.”
There are many issues that Black women face, from challenges to reproductive freedom to staggering student loan debt and aggressive policies that disrupt our families and communities. So what would a Harris presidency mean for Black women?
Reproductive rights
Harris has been a staunch advocate for reproductive rights. On the 51st anniversary of Roe earlier this yr, Harris launched into a multi-city tour in support of reproductive freedom. In her first stop on the tour, in swing state Wisconsin, she explained in Interview for CNN that Trump was happy with what he had done to decimate women’s rights, and there was so far more at stake if he were reelected. “The motion is proud that women have been stripped of their basic freedoms to make decisions about their own bodies; the motion is proud that doctors are being punished and criminalized for providing health care; proud that women are suffering in silence because they don’t have access to the health care they need,” Harris added. “So let’s understand that the stakes are so very high.”
Harris also highlighted measures the Biden administration has taken to guard reproductive freedom, including increased access to contraceptives for federal staff and a rise within the variety of approved drugs available for free under the Affordable Care Act, in line with US News and World Report.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, praised Harris as a champion of reproductive rights: “I actually have had the extraordinary privilege of working and most recently campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris. I actually have been proud to observe her develop into some of the vocal voices within the fight for sexual and reproductive rights.
“As a lawyer, attorney general, senator, vice president, and as a Black woman, Vice President Harris understands what lies ahead. She knows what it means for Black women to have less reproductive freedom in a country where we are more vulnerable to everything from maternal mortality to criminalization, and she is fighting back,” McGill said in a statement to ESSENCE.
Economic policy
Harris can also be a fighter with regards to creating economic opportunity for middle- and lower-class families. For example, during her first presidential campaign, she proposed a $6,000 tax break for married couples earning lower than $100,000, to be financed by reversing the tax cuts enacted within the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and taxing certain financial institutions, in line with PBS reports. In addition, she has championed the Biden administration’s economic policies, which include a bipartisan infrastructure bill, funding for small businesses, capping insulin costs at $35 and limiting prescription drug out-of-pocket costs to $2,000 for Medicare enrollees. Inflation Reduction ActAdditionally, Harris has advocated for student loan forgiveness, which might have a significant impact on the black community, as blacks graduate from college at a high rate. more student loan debt According to PBS reports, they’re wealthier than their white counterparts and take for much longer to repay their debts.
Rose Pierre-Louis, executive director of NYU’s McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, said that is a crucial moment that goes beyond politics and shows Black women and girls what is feasible. “This is a historic moment—not just in politics, but for Black women and girls across the country. At the McSilver Institute, we support communities empowered by generations of Black women who have worked tirelessly to lift and create opportunities for success despite ongoing histories of oppression, violence, and neglect,” Pierre-Louis told ESSENCE. Vice President Harris embodies countless years of individual and community effort within the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. We have long assured Black girls that they’ll at some point be president of the United States. This is the primary time we now have a real opportunity to deliver on that promise.”
Gun control
Vice President Harris has been an energetic advocate for increased gun control, dating back to her time as California attorney general, when she spearheaded a statewide effort to confiscate guns from those that illegally possessed them. As a senator, she co-sponsored laws ban assault weapons and high-capability magazines (those who can fire greater than 10 rounds before reloading). And as a part of the Biden administration, she worked to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), probably the most significant piece of gun control laws in 30 years. Among its provisions are funding for red flag law programs (which permit a judge to temporarily confiscate a gun from someone who’s having a mental health crisis and appears to be a danger to themselves or others), expanding access to mental health services, and expanding community violence intervention programs. Vice President Harris also took the lead in White House Office on Gun Violence Preventionwhich closed the gun show loophole by requiring all gun sellers to conduct background checks, no matter where the products are sold.
Racial Justice and Diversity (DEI)
Harris was one among several senators to introduce the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act. As Essence reports, the bill would end qualified immunity for cops, mandate de-escalation training for officers, create a national database of police misconduct and make it easier for the Justice Department to prosecute officers for civil rights violations.
Citing the disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on black people, Harris has also called for an end to mandatory minimum sentences, money bail and the death penalty for the reason that murder of George Floyd. However, in her previous role as prosecutor wasn’t at all times so progressive and once pushed for higher money bail and refused to support independent investigations into police shootings, as reported by the NY Times. Asked about her evolution, she said, “I was swimming against the tide, and thankfully the tides have changed; the winds are in our sails. And I’m riding it out like everybody else — because it’s long overdue.”
Black women, the backbone of the Democratic Party, are largely supporting Harris’ historic run, and Democratic leaders are following her lead. Not only are all 50 states Democratic Party chairs have endorsed Harris, but previous Biden supporters like Bill and Hillary Clinton and James Clyburn (who resurrected Biden’s dying 2020 campaign) have endorsed Vice President Harris.
Bernice King, daughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King and CEO of the King Center, also wholeheartedly supported Harris, publishing on X: “We urgently need a president who will ensure that the civil rights that my parents and so many others have fought so bravely to advance our Beloved Community are not destroyed. For that reason, I consider this presidential election a legacy vote. We must protect our legacy of perseverance in the fight for civil rights and stop efforts to restrict them.”
She continued, “With these beliefs in mind, I endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s nominee for president and I call on all of my AKA sisters, HBCU alumni, Divine Nine members, and democracy advocates to join me in this goal.”
This spirit of camaraderie and collective support for Harris was reflected on social media. On Instagram, political strategist Alencia Johnson posted a photo of herself standing proudly next to Vice President Harris, with the caption: “So, it’s clear. Absolutely the only choice, and that’s Vice President Kamala Harris for president. I will do everything possible to ensure the inauguration of our first Black woman president.”
Despite the passion of the Democratic base, black women are well aware of the sexist and racist attacks Vice President Harris will face on the campaign trail. Still, women like Johnson consider Harris can beat Donald Trump.
“Hours after announcing she’s running, the energy from Black women voters is palpable. It means something that the backbone of the Democratic Party is already forming — ready to rally around the vice president and keep her spirits up as she faces a difficult but winnable fight,” she said.
Now that Vice President Harris’ presidential bid is all but certain—with grassroots support reaching all of the solution to the White House—the actual work begins to defeat Donald Trump, be certain that no a part of Project 2025 is realized, and preserve and expand the rights that Black women have fought so hard for. From Shirley Chisholm’s “Unbought and Unbossed” campaign as the primary Black woman to run for president in 1972 to Kamala Harris today, American democracy owes a debt of gratitude to the efforts of Black women, and let’s hope the remainder of the nation joins us within the fight.
Politics and Current
Unboxing Sexy Red voting for Kamala Harris after praising Trump
In a serious endorsement of Kamala Harris on social media, the “Sexy Red” hip-hop star announced Friday that she voted for the Democratic presidential nominee.
During early voting in Missouri, the St. rapper Louis posted photos with the words “I Voted!” stickers as she posed in front of a black SUV, presumably after casting her vote.
“I just voted!!! Don’t tell us what to do with our pussies!! #Kamala4President,” wrote the musician, whose real name is Janae Nierah Wherry.
The statement may come as a surprise to many, as sexy Red has previously expressed support for Republican Party candidate Donald Trump.
In an October 2023 interview, the 26-year-old star said, “I like Trump… they support him in the hood.”
I just voted!!! Don’t tell us what to do with our pussies!! #Kamala4President pic.twitter.com/5rvpa6HzJ8
— Sexy red (@SexyyRed314_) November 1, 2024
“At first I don’t think people gave a shit about him… they thought he was racist and saying little shit, you know, against women” – Sexyy Red on the This Past Weekend podcast. “But when did he start bailing black people out of jail and giving people free money? Oh baby, we love Trump. We must reinstate him.”
The rapper also expressed her admiration for Trump, changing his slogan “Make America Great Again” to her own – “Make America sexyy again.” The MC also showed off a MAGA-like hat during his performance on the 2024 Roots Picnic.
Seemingly following the backlash, Sexy Red later clarified that she had not officially endorsed Trump or any political candidate.
Batchelor continued: “The Vice President’s closing message clearly resonated with the broad coalition we need to engage before the clock runs out on November 5.” He added: “Kamala Harris ran one of the shortest presidential campaigns in the history of American politics, and she has remarkably managed to build a broad coalition of Americans ready to make a difference – even those who may have been skeptical at first. This bodes well for Tuesday’s results.”
Sexy Red’s change of heart about Trump could mean a breakthrough for Vice President Harris, who has been crisscrossing the country in recent weeks and days to succeed in out to undecided and non-voters. A specific concern for the Harris campaign is young voters of color and young black men, although recent polls show the Democratic candidate has managed to shut some gaps.
Kamala Harris has particularly relied on her economic proposals to sway key voters. They include tax breaks for middle-class families, grants for first-time home buyers, foreclosure loans for small business owners and a federal ban on price gouging by firms to lower grocery prices.
During an interview on former NFL star Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast, the vp debunked misconceptions concerning the so-called “stimulus” checks – previously mentioned by “Sexy Red” – that Americans have received while Trump is in office throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“Really, Congress wrote these checks. But then Donald Trump, unlike any president before or since, decided he was going to put his name on these checks,” said Harris, who noted that Trump initially opposed the stimulus checks.
Harris’ other major point was the specter of a national abortion ban if Donald Trump returns to the White House. On Tuesday, during a serious campaign rally in Washington, D.C., attended by greater than 75,000 people, the vp focused most of his political messages on the economy and reproductive rights.
“(Trump) would ban abortion nationwide, restrict access to contraceptives and put at risk in vitro fertilization treatments, and force states to monitor women’s pregnancies,” Harris warned. “I have lived the promise of America, and I see it in all of you… I see it in the women who refuse to accept a future without reproductive freedom, and in the men who support them.”
As evidenced by Sexy Red’s enthusiastic endorsement of Harris amongst her thousands and thousands of fans, Harris’ message could resonate with voters.
More history
Politics and Current
Black Women in Politics: Angela Alsobrooks Leads in Polls and Wants to Make History in Maryland Senate Race – Essence
Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Angela Alsobrooks is running a breakthrough campaign in Maryland’s U.S. Senate race and is poised to make history because the state’s first Black senator if elected. With a distinguished background in public service – she served as Prince George’s County State’s Attorney for eight years before being elected twice as county executive – Alsobrooks now intends to bring her experience to Congress, where she could be one among the few Black women to ever serve in that role.
The latest poll from the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) shows her a robust double-digit lead over her Republican opponent, former Gov. Larry Hogan. In October, Alsobrooks polled with 52% of likely voters, compared to Hogan’s 40%, and Libertarian candidate Mike Scott was polling at lower than 4%. Despite Hogan’s intense promoting campaigns, Alsobrooks’ advantage has continued since September. “The overall margin is about the same,” CDCE Director Michael Hanmer said, as each side give attention to influencing undecided voters in this high-stakes race.
This race could determine party control of the U.S. Senate, making issues like abortion and economic policy more essential than ever. While more Maryland voters now view Hogan because the stronger candidate on economic issues, Alsobrooks has significant benefits on health care and reproductive rights, topics that widely share her views. CDCE data suggests her comments in regards to the Senate’s role in protecting reproductive rights resonated with many citizens in Maryland, something analysts say Hogan struggled to rise up to.
Alsobrooks’ campaign is historically significant: If elected, she would turn out to be Maryland’s first Black female senator and one among the few Black women to serve in the Senate in its 235-yr history. “People like me don’t get to the Senate, and we should,” Alsobrooks emphasized in her speech on the Democratic National Convention in August, calling attention to the systemic barriers Black women face in reaching high political office. “We only chose two [Black women] for the Senate and has only won three seats so far, so it was a joy to get on that stage and represent so many people whose voices I felt were underrepresented in the Senate. And it was a great moment,” she told ESSENCE about her speech.
The historical context is important: Carol Moseley Braun was the primary Black woman elected to the Senate in 1992, followed by Kamala Harris in 2016. In 2023, California’s Laphonza Butler became the third Black woman in the Senate, appointed to finish Dianne Feinstein’s term. he doesn’t intend to run for the complete term. If Alsobrooks is successful, she could join Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, who can also be running for Senate, and together they might potentially transform the Senate with historic levels of black women’s representation.
Alsobooks told ESSENCE that her journey into public service was inspired in part by Kamala Harris, then the district attorney of San Francisco, whom she first examine in a 2009 article. “I read a magazine article about a district attorney using new ideas to keep his community safe,” Alsobrooks recalled. Inspired, she began to incorporate restorative justice principles into her own work, in search of ways to rethink the criminal justice system and expand access to opportunity.
Alsobrooks says he sees his candidacy as a way to effect meaningful change, from economic opportunity to access to health care. Her platform focuses on expanding reproductive rights, access to health care and educational resources for Marylanders. Alsobrooks also supports comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to citizenship, and has been openly critical of the Trump-era tax cuts, calling for higher corporate tax rates to fund programs for working families fairly than corporate interests.
The stakes remain high for Alsobrooks as she campaigns to represent Maryland and amplify the voices of diverse communities in the Senate. Marylanders will soon make a choice on November 5, setting the course for the state’s future in Washington.
Politics and Current
Vice President Harris finds Trump’s ‘Like it or not’ comment ‘offensive’
As Americans approach Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris is refining her message that her opponent, former President Donald Trump, is the worst option for ladies and girls’s rights. At a campaign rally within the battleground state of Nevada, she told those that Trump’s recent remark that he’ll protect women whether “they want it or not” shows that he doesn’t understand women’s right to make decisions about their very own lives and body.
“By the way, I think it’s offensive to everyone” – AP reports Harris made the announcement on October 31 before campaign days in Nevada and Arizona
During the rally in Phoenix, she expanded on her message, stating, “He simply does not respect women’s freedom or the intelligence of women to know what is in their best interest and make decisions based on that. But we trust women.”
Harris has consistently delivered messages as she criss-crosses the country on the campaign trail. She hopes women’s rights could have an impact on women voting on the polls as Trump continues to grapple with demographic issues.
Meanwhile, during an October 30 rally on the battlefield in Wisconsin, Trump apparently he admitted to his supporters that advisers had urged him to refrain from using the term “defender” when discussing women’s rights because it was “inappropriate.” Immediately afterwards, he signals that he isn’t removing this word from his dictionary. He went a step further and told the group that he had told his advisors, “Well, I’m going to do it whether women like it or not. I’m going to guard them.”
Political pundits have it highlighted that his statements are sometimes contradictory, especially since he appointed three U.S. Supreme Court justices to ultimately create a conservative majority ruling overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. Earlier this 12 months, Trump bragged about his role in overturning a constitutional law, calling it a “miracle ” – based on CBS reports.
While his message is inconsistent, Trump occasionally states that he believes abortion rights ought to be left to the states.
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