Politics and Current
Black community leaders and stars are in full swing after Harris’ coronation at the Democratic convention
“This night means everything,” said Raymond Santana, a member of the Central Park Five, also generally known as the Exonerated Five.
Santana and three other members of a gaggle of wrongly convicted young black boys took the stage at the United Center on Thursday to publicly support Harris and condemn her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, who took out an $85,000 full-page ad in 1989 calling for the death penalty against them.
In a tone almost incredulous, Santana continued, “To have the support of the Democratic Party…to be present,” to which Richardson, standing next to Santana, added, “To be here physically. We are here.”
Richardson described the DNC moment as “epic.”
Ironically, Trump and his campaign have been attempting to persuade black men to change into a persuasive voting bloc in the 2024 election cycle. Yet the former president has refused to apologize for his comments about the Central Park Five after they were acquitted based on DNA evidence.
Harris also established contact with black men, meeting with outstanding black leaders and public figures at her vice-presidential residence and other locations to debate political problems with concern. One of those black men was comedian, actor, and talk show host DL Hughley.
On Thursday night, Hughley took to the stage to publicly apologize to Harris for making earlier “assumptions” about her indictment without doing his own “research.”
After Harris’ acceptance speech, Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, said it was great to have a presidential candidate who knows “how to get things done” and “works with people on the outside.”
Robinson vowed to “do everything in my power over the next 70 days to help elect Kamala D. Harris.”
The progressive civil rights advocate said he’s committed “to making sure that she is on the other side of the table as we work to be able to fight for Black communities (and) Black families, and also fight for equality more broadly.”
“Women of all stripes are rallying around her and are very excited about her candidacy because that happened in 2016,” Lightfoot said, referring to Donald Trump’s surprise victory over Hillary Clinton.
“I often hear from women that we will not let this happen again,” the former Chicago leader said.
She believes it’s time for a lady to change into president, as many other developed countries have had female leaders.
“There’s determination, there’s enthusiasm, but also a clear understanding of what it’s going to take between now and the election in November to get this done,” Lightfoot said, “To cross that threshold — to break that final glass ceiling once and for all.”