Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris has released a slate of policy proposals geared toward Black men.
The plan, which Harris’ campaign is calling an “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men,” comes as she seeks to shore up support from Black voters with early voting underway. It also comes amid discussion, fueled in part by former President Barack Obama, about Harris’ support among Black men.
Harris made direct inroads with Black men in the lead-up to the 2020 campaign that appeared to be fruitful, and the Democratic presidential nominee’s latest proposal seems designed to double down on those efforts.
With early voting already started, Harris’ team is attempting to bolster support from Black voters with this plan, which it is referring to as a “Opportunity Agenda for Black Men.” It also occurs in the midst of debate concerning Black men’s support for Harris, which has been sparked in part by Barack Obama.
Prior to the 2020 election, Harris made direct and seemingly successful advances with Black men; the Democratic presidential nominee’s most recent plan appears to be an attempt to build on those gains.
- 1 million fully forgivable loans of up to $20,000 for Black business owners and others looking to start businesses.
- Launching a National Health Equity Initiative focused on Black Men that addresses sickle cell disease, diabetes, mental health, prostate cancer, and other health challenges.
- More investment in education, mentorship and training programs designed to funnel Black men into good-paying, high-demand jobs in fields where they are underrepresented and desperately needed, like teaching.
- Supporting regulation to protect Black men and others who invest in and own cryptocurrencies.
- Legalizing recreational marijuana and creating opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in this budding industry.
To get the word out, Harris has been sitting for interviews with media organizations that target the Black community.
The Shade Room and journalist Roland Martin both published an interview they conducted with Harris recently, which was conducted in Greenville, North Carolina. In response to Obama’s comments that some Black men are misogynistic, Harris stated that she sincerely hopes to win their support and that people should hear the entire speech since it contains important information regarding the serious threat that Donald Trump poses.
The Shade Room is an online newspaper that claims to be targeted at Black readers, but it is also well-known for spreading propaganda and far-right conspiracy theories. Many people have mixed feelings about Harris’s meeting with them. In certain ways, the vice president is endorsing a platform that has a reputation for disseminating false information and poison into the political and social spheres. She will also probably reach a large number of individuals with this interview who have been inundated with false information regarding her and the track records of President Joe Biden.
It’s evident that Harris is doing all in her power to educate the public on who she is and what she stands for.
But the bottom line is Harris makes it clear to young Black men and women that sitting this election out is NOT AN OPTION!
