Edward Henderson, California Black Media Network
Last week, the Kamala Harris campaign released its Opportunity Agenda for Black Men.
On Oct. 16, California Black Media (CBM) spoke with Harris-Walz campaign surrogate, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), who shared more insights on Harris’ agenda and the importance of securing the Black Male vote.
“She has said very clearly that she wants to earn the vote of everyone. And that means earning the vote of Black men,” said Lee of Harris. “She understands the systemic and historic challenges that Black men have. You haven’ t heard of a presidential candidate coming up with a concrete actual plan and policy agenda.”
The plan’s release came after a string of podcast and interview appearances during which Harris shared her plans to tackle several issues that Black Men specifically face if elected President.
The agenda includes five focus areas based on insights she gleaned from hosting discussions with Black men during her Economic Opportunity Tour:
1. Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable to Black entrepreneurs and others disadvantaged groups to start businesses.
2. Champion education, training, and mentorship programs that help Black men get good-paying jobs in high-demand industries It will also develop more accessible pathways for Black men to become teachers.
3. Support a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and other digital assets so Black men who invest in and own these assets are protected.
4. Launch a National Health Equity Initiative focused on Black men that addresses sickle cell disease, diabetes, mental health, prostate cancer, and other health challenges that disproportionately impact them.
5. Legalize recreational marijuana and creating opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry.
“[Vice President Harris] knows that Black men have long felt that too often their voice in our political process has gone unheard and that there is so much untapped ambition and leadership within the Black male community,” the language in the agenda states. “Black men and boys deserve a president who will provide the opportunity to unleash this talent and potential by removing historic barriers to wealth creation, education, employment, earnings, health, and improving the criminal justice system.”
Diving into Harris’ agenda, Lee says, reminded her of her own record of supporting Black men over the years as an elected official. In the 90’s, she established the first California Commission on African American Males through which she pressured the state to address urgent economic, health and social challenges specific to Black men.
Harris’ agenda was released after some Black men criticized a recent campaign speech by former President Barack Obama. They accused him of ‘scolding’ Black men because of their hesitancy to support Harris, suggesting that sexism played a role in their disinterest. The fallout from the former President’s comment has left some wondering if the Harris campaign is rolling out the agenda as a response.
“No group of people are a monolithic group of people,” said Lee when asked about Obama’s speech.
“There were different points of views and different feedback. She stated very clearly that she does not expect anyone to vote for her. She’ s not taking any vote for granted. I’ve known her over three decades and I
believe she is being herself. She’ s authentic and she cares about making sure that people, I say not only survive, but thrive,” Lee added.
Each of the 5 key points addressed in the Harris Campaign’s agenda, Lee says, has additional clauses that can potentially help Black men and their families thrive. This includes lowering rent; up to $25,000 in downpayment help for first time homebuyers; and cutting taxes for Black men in lower-wage jobs by increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit maximum to $1,500.
Lee says the goal of the Harris-Walz campaign is for more Black men to become “trusted messengers” for the Vice President, explaining her intentions to the community and leverage their own experiences to hold Harris to task for what they are looking for politically.
“I think the messages is one of empowerment for Black men — regardless of whether they’ re a blue-collar worker, if they’ re not working, if they’ re in business, if they’ re an entrepreneur, whatever background or whatever they’ re doing or experiencing life. I think the authenticity of their experience can only be articulated through them,” said Lee.
“I think it’ s important that they be out there talking about what it means to be a Black man in America and how this can be connected to political empowerment,” Lee added.