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CNN’s Ashley Allison Talks New Venture and Need to Protect Kamala Harris

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Ashley Allison, Watering Hole Media, theGrio.com

For Ashley Allison, community is all the pieces. The CNN political analyst and former Obama alum had Black and brown communities in mind when conceptualizing her recent media company, Watering Hole Media.

Much just like the hundreds of campaign employees and volunteers who worked together to elect America’s first black president, Barack Obama — knocking on countless doors and talking to neighbors — her recent effort, outreach to black, brown and indigenous people, goals to unite everyone for the common good.

The political pundit initially launched Watering Hole as a news and opinion blog when President Obama took office in 2009. However, due to his law school background and lack of entrepreneurial experience on the time, the enterprise didn’t pan out. But after recording a live segment on CNN in August 2023 in regards to the Montgomery Riverboat Brawl, Allison decided to revisit her desire to create a media company for marginalized voices.

In an incident in Alabama last summer, a bunch of white men physically attacked a black boat crewman who informed them their dinghy was docked improperly. A gaggle of black men stepped in to defend the employee, leading to a viral brawl that reignited a national conversation in regards to the South’s dark history of racism.

CNN panelist Allison described the Montgomery brawl as a case of lynching. But Allison understood the incident to be far more visceral and cultural — as any scroll through black Twitter on the time showed.

“This isn’t a lynching issue. This is a protection issue,” Allison explained to her friend, sharing the reactions of black people on social media platforms. “The conversation on CNN that night was different because people were using the microphones that they had on social media.”

Now, Allison takes the conversations happening on Timelines and amplifies them with Watering Hole Media, an organization that gives curated digital content led by voices that higher reflect the various voices of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.

“Wait a Minute” hosted by Ashley Allison, political strategist Alencia Johnson, and comedian and actress Joyelle Nicole Johnson. Produced by Watering Hole Media. (Photo: Watering Hole Media/YouTube)

“We wanted to create something that was rooted in the community so that people would feel comfortable bringing it to their communities,” said Allison, who worked for Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign, the Obama White House and the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign.

“You don’t take things with you to your community that you don’t think are rich, that don’t have integrity, that aren’t helpful,” she added. Allison said it’s about “getting the information and then taking that information and… talking to your neighbors.”

To date, Watering Hole Media has launched three programmes, each aimed toward a unique audience.

Hosted by Allison, political strategist Alencia Johnson, and comedian and actress Joyelle Nicole Johnson, “Wait a Minute” is a living room-style conversation from the angle of a Black woman.

“Tap In” contains a panel of black men gathered around a poker table to discuss politics and social issues, like mental health, which can be often under-talked about amongst black men.

“Everything’s Fine,” a series aimed toward Gen Z, brings together a various range of cultures, including attorney and activist Preston Mitchum, journalists Sylvia Obell and Josie Duffy Rice, and communications expert Annie Wu Henry.

Tap In, Watering Hole Media, Ashley Allison, theGrio.com
“Tap In” contains a group of black men gathered around a poker table to discuss politics and social issues, similar to mental health, which can be rarely discussed amongst black men. (Photo: Watering Hole Media/YouTube)

“We built our programming around specific types of audiences and people and their practices,” said Allison, who added that she and her team relied on research to determine “audience segmentation to really make sure we were creating content that would resonate with people.”

It was necessary to create an area where participants could freely express their opinions and “counter” one another when needed.

Allison has also been known to occasionally resist appearances on CNN.

“When people say things on TV, sometimes they say it like it’s a fact, and it’s not always a fact,” she said. “I say, ‘Wait a minute, this is what you think. I’ll tell you what I think. And so do 15 of my friends.”

Allison recognizes it’s her privilege to sit on CNN as a Black woman, but she makes it clear she doesn’t speak for all Black people.

“I think I am part of the representation of black people on TV and I have a responsibility to be part of the representation, but not as a representative,” she explained.

While she doesn’t speak for all black people, she has repeatedly defended Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, from racist and misogynist attacks by her political opponents.

Kamala Harris, theGriio.com
Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris answers questions during a moderated conversation with members of the National Association of Black Journalists hosted by WHYY on September 17, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Since Harris became a presidential candidate, her opponents, former President Donald Trump, and his Republican allies have called her a “DEI worker,” “stupid” and even questioned her identity as a Black woman.

“I think it’s the media’s responsibility. I think it’s the elected officials’ responsibility. I think it’s the responsibility of anyone who wants to consider themselves a leader to not allow for bad behavior, bad faith attacks, and just unequal standards to be applied to her,” Allison said.

“Telling someone to go to hell” and wanting to lead the country is “inappropriate,” she said. “We shouldn’t tolerate that.”

Allison said she was “completely leaning” toward having a Black woman at the highest of the presidential ticket.

“As a country, we should have had a woman president a long time ago,” she said. “I pinch myself every day that this is happening.”

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Alabama man who threatened Fani Williams and Atlanta sheriff over Donald Trump’s indictment sentenced to prison and heavy fine

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Alabama Man Indicted for Threats Against Fulton DA and Sheriff in Connection with Trump Case

An Alabama man who left multiple threatening voicemails for the district attorney and the Fulton County sheriff will spend greater than a yr in federal prison for the crime.

Arthur Ray Hanson II will serve one yr and seven months in prison, spend three years on supervised release and pay a fine of $7,500.

Alabama man charged with threats against Fulton district attorney and sheriff in connection with Trump case
Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis, left, Arthur Ray Hanson, right (Photos: Getty Images/Shelby County Sheriff’s Office0

The 59-year-old was charged after calling the Fulton County government customer support hotline last August and leaving two messages – one for District Attorney Fani Willis and the opposite for Sheriff Pat Labat.

These conversations took place after news began to emerge that the county was preparing to drop an indictment against former President Donald Trump and several co-conspirators for election interference.

The Department of Justice reported that in his message to Sheriff Labat, Hanson made the next statements:

  • “If you think that you possibly can take an image of my President Trump and all the things will likely be fine, you can find that something bad (expletive) will occur to you after you’re taking that picture.
  • “If you’re taking an image of the President and you are the rationale something happened, something bad (expletive) will occur to you.
  • “I’m warning you now before you (expletive) ruin your life and get really hurt.”
  • “Whether you have a (expletive) badge or not isn’t going to help you”; and “you’re going to throw a (expletive) tantrum, you keep (expletive) arguing with my President.”

In Hanson’s message to District Attorney Willis, he made the next statements:

  • “Be careful when you walk to your car at night, when you enter the house, be careful wherever you go.”
  • “If I were you, I would be very afraid because you can’t be around people who protect you all the time.”
  • “There will be times when you will be vulnerable.”
  • “When you’re accusing Trump of the fourth indictment, always look over your shoulder when you’re alone.”
  • “Whatever you say there (expletive) comes back to you ten times stronger and never forget it.”

A federal grand jury indicted Hanson in October 2023. He pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats in July.

During his guilty plea hearing, he told the judge that he was not a “violent person” and “did not knowingly know that I had threatened anyone.”

“I made a stupid call,” said an insurance salesman from Huntsville, Alabama.

“Threats against government officials are not only illegal, but they also pose a threat to our democratic process,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Atlanta. “The mission of the FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. We take this responsibility very seriously and seek to punish those who engage in this type of criminal behavior and send the message that such behavior will not be tolerated.”

Willis spoke loudly concerning the quite a few death threats she received in the times before and after the indictment of the previous president and greater than a dozen of his allies over election interference in Fulton County.

On the day the costs were announced, Willis secretly left the courthouse in plain clothes and hired a body double to use the important exit of the courthouse where members of the media were waiting.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Unboxing Sexy Red voting for Kamala Harris after praising Trump

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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.”

“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.

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at James R. Hallford Stadium on October 24, 2024 in Clarkston, Georgia. Harris and Republican presidential candidate, former US President Donald Trump, proceed to campaign in swing battleground states ahead of the November 5 election. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Black Women in Politics: Angela Alsobrooks Leads in Polls and Wants to Make History in Maryland Senate Race – Essence

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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.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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