Is America ready for a female commander in chief? Black voters weigh in on the possibility
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO Despite the lofty ideas and goals that the founding fathers and their colleagues espoused after the 13 colonies declared their independence from England and created both an alternative form of government and a new country, Americans have always wrestled with the paradox of claiming to be “the land of the free” while only guaranteeing its rights and privileges to a limited few. In its early years, that meant White, property-owning men. As time evolved and perspectives changed, others would gain access to similar rights, regardless of race, religion, economic status or gender.
Harris team ramps up Walz’s fundraising push in final sprint
By Meredith Lee Hill Tim Walz has struggled over the years as a fundraiser, limited in part by his lack of high-dollar donor networks from his days representing a rural congressional district. But, in just the past few weeks, the Minnesota governor has grown into a more sought after commodity and helped Kamala Harris in her efforts to bring in record-breaking sums since being tapped as her running mate. He’s often pulling in $750,000 to $2 million himself per campaign fundraiser, according to two other people familiar with the matter who weren’t authorized to speak publicly. Now, the Harris campaign is
HBCU Jackson State Sets New Partnership To Provide Mental Health Resources To Student-Athletes
By Kyra Allesandrini Jackson State University’s Division of Athletics has announced a new partnership with Mindflow to offer mental health resources to student-athletes. “Exciting news! We’re thrilled to welcome @gojsutigers to the Mindflow family!” the organization wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. “Together, we’re committed to enhancing mental health support for their student athletes. Let’s make a positive impact!” Mindflow was created by two former student-athletes, Caleb Scott and Anthony Faraino, to highlight the significance of prioritizing mental health in sports. “As former student-athletes, we understand the unique stressors you face on a daily-basis and how these circumstances can affect your mental
HBCU First LOOK Film Festival announces 2024 “I Aspire” 100 2nd Annual Festival returns to Howard University November 8-10, 2024
Recently, the second annual HBCU First LOOK Film Festival (HBCUFLF), announced its 2024 festival dates, November 8 – 10th and the premiere of the 2024 HBCU First LOOK “I Aspire” 100. (2024 HBCU First LOOK 100) The HBCU First LOOK “I Aspire” 100 is a curated collective of notable HBCU alumni who are inspiring the next generation of content creators across film, television, and digital platforms. This year’s list includes MSNBC President Rashida Jones (Hampton University); former NFL player and sports commentator Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State University); actress and singer Fantasia Barrino Taylor (Central State); actors Lynn Whitfield (Howard University), Anthony Anderson (Howard University)
Stacey Abrams and Michael Steele Discuss the State of American Politics and the 2024 Elections at Howard University
By Larry J. Sanders Stacey Abrams, former minority leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and Howard University’s inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics, hosted a wide-ranging conversation with Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee and the University’s 2023-2024 Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy. Inside a packed auditorium at the Howard University School of Social Work, the political luminaries with vastly differing ideologies joined forces to extol the virtues of camaraderie and bipartisanship, especially in the current electoral climate. They shared their expertise on topics including the
HBCU Students and Staff Have a Lot to Say About That Fiery Presidential Debate
By Phenix S. Halley You can always count on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to keep it real and cut through all the BS. So when it came down to how the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris went, you better believe that students and staff at the nation’s most prominent HBCUs had a lot to say on the subject. It’s no secret that Black Americans are skeptical of the U.S. government. In fact, a Pew Research Center study found 67 percent of Black Americans don’t trust U.S. politics. But Trump appears to have made a
Democrats cautious to claim election victory after Harris debate
By Alex Gangitano Democrats in Washington, flying high after Vice President Harris’s sharp debate performance this week, are also forcing themselves back to earth in the face of a stark political reality: The race for the White House is still neck and neck, and plenty of work remains if they hope to keep former President Trump from winning a second term. Despite what many saw as a slam dunk for Harris on debate night, those in her party are cautious to claim victory just yet. “I don’t think this election’s over,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), the head of the House Democrats’
Black women are quickly joining forces to support Kamala Harris’ presidential bid. Here’s what that looks like
By Niquel Terry Ellis Jotaka Eaddy was sitting on her parents’ porch in South Carolina on Sunday afternoon when she got a text from an activist friend with a link to President Joe Biden’s letter announcing he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. Eaddy said she started texting in a group chat with other Black women political organizers, where she learned that Biden was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Eaddy, founder of the grassroots group Win With Black Women, immediately jumped into organizing mode. If Harris had a chance to become the nation’s first Black female president, Eaddy said,
Mixed-race voters say Donald Trump’s attacks on Kamala Harris’ race are painfully familiar
By Char Adams After Donald Trump told journalists on Wednesday that his presidential opponent Kamala Harris “turned Black” for political gain, Trump’s comments have impacted the way many multirace voters are thinking about the two candidates. “She was only promoting Indian heritage,” the former president said during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention last week. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black.” “Is she Indian or is she Black?” he asked. She’s both. Harris, whose mother was Indian
The Democratic Party’s downfall is deeper than Harris or Biden
By Jeremy Etelson The storm on the Democratic Party’s electoral horizon was never limited to President Biden staying in the race. Biden’s mental infirmity and the concerted denial surrounding it, while governmentally dangerous, were merely amplifying the severity of the party’s imminent political reckoning. Vice President Kamala Harris has now officially replaced Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee. But this succession does little to address the underlying challenges facing the political viability of the party. Democrats have lost their 5-point lead in national voter identification over the last three years, which was already a smaller margin than it had been at the beginning of the Obama era.