BlackVoter.Org

Van Jones to El-Sayed: Are You Really Smarter Than Obama

Let's talk about a moment that's got people buzzing in political circles. CNN commentator Van Jones recently pushed back hard on Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan Senate candidate, over his call for a total arms embargo against Israel. Jones didn't hold back, calling the position "insane" and even asking El-Sayed if he thinks he's smarter than former President Barack Obama. Now, why should this matter to us? Because these debates within Black political leadership and progressive circles shape how our community engages with foreign policy, coalition-building, and who gets to speak for us on the national stage. When prominent voices clash publicly, it's a reminder that our political power isn't monolithic — and that's a good thing. We've never been a community that thinks with one mind, and that diversity of thought is part of our strength. But here's the real takeaway: moments like this show why staying informed matters. Foreign policy debates aren't separate from domestic issues — they intersect with how resources are allocated, how alliances are built, and how our elected officials represent our values on the world stage. So here's what we ask of you. Follow these races closely, especially in Michigan where El-Sayed is running for Senate. Research where candidates stand on the issues that matter to you. Don't just vote — vote informed. Register if you haven't. Show up to town halls. Ask questions. Hold leaders accountable, whether they're rising stars or seasoned veterans like Obama. Our voices, our votes, our future — let's keep showing up for all three.

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Democratic Socialists Want Our Vote Do They Have Our Trust

Let's talk about what's really driving organizing efforts in communities across this country right now: money, or the lack of it. Democratic Socialists of America officials are being clear about their focus, and it comes down to the basics that touch every one of us — housing costs that keep climbing, food prices that squeeze our budgets tighter each month, and wages that just haven't kept pace with the cost of living. Sound familiar? It should. Black families have long borne the brunt of economic squeezes like these, from redlining's lasting effects on where we can afford to live, to generational wage gaps that never seem to close. When organizers say their work centers on economic concerns, that's not abstract policy talk — that's rent that's due, groceries that cost more, and paychecks that stretch thinner. Here's why this matters for us: economic organizing is civic engagement. It's rooted in the same tradition as the Montgomery bus boycotts and the Poor People's Campaign — using collective power to demand better. History teaches us that economic justice and voting rights have always walked hand in hand. So what do we do with this? Pay attention to who's organizing in your neighborhood around these issues. Show up to community meetings. Ask your local leaders what they're doing about housing affordability and stagnant wages. Register to vote if you haven't, and vote in every election — local races often decide zoning, minimum wage, and housing policy faster than anything happening in Washington. Our economic future is a civic issue. Let's treat it like one.

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Crockett Skips Senate Race to Build Power in Texas Down-Ballot

Let's talk about what happened after the dust settled on the Texas Democratic Senate primary. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who lost that race to James Talarico, has made a decision that's turning heads: she's staying focused on local races in Texas this fall instead of hitting the trail for the man who beat her. This matters, and here's why. Primaries can get heated, but what happens after them tells us a lot about priorities and power. Crockett isn't disappearing from the fight — she's redirecting her energy toward the races closest to home, the ones that shape school boards, city councils, and local leadership in communities that need attention year-round, not just during a big Senate cycle. For us, this is a reminder that political power isn't built from the top down. It's built block by block, ballot by ballot, in the races that don't always make national headlines but decide who's actually making decisions about our neighborhoods, our schools, and our futures. So here's the call to action: don't wait for the marquee race to get engaged. Know who's running for your local offices. Show up for school board meetings. Research your city council candidates like you research a senator. Crockett's choice is a signal — local accountability matters, and representation starts where we live, not just in Washington. Register to vote if you haven't. Check your local ballot. And hold every leader, at every level, accountable to the communities they claim to serve. That's how real change gets built, one election at a time.

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Court Packing Isn't Radical Anymore Its Accountability Know Why

Something big just happened in Washington, and it's worth pausing on. Congressman Jim Clyburn, one of the most respected voices in Black political leadership and a living link to the civil rights movement, has thrown his support behind expanding the Supreme Court. Just a decade ago, this idea was considered fringe. Five years ago, most Democrats wouldn't touch it. Now, it's gaining real traction among lawmakers who've watched the Court shift dramatically to the right, rolling back protections that generations fought and bled for. Let's be clear about what's at stake. The Supreme Court shapes voting rights, criminal justice, economic opportunity, and civil liberties for our communities every single day. When the Court no longer reflects the values of fairness and equal protection under the law, we have every right to demand structural change. Clyburn's endorsement signals that even institutional Democrats are recognizing the urgency of this moment. But here's the thing, folks: court reform doesn't happen because officials wish it into existence. It happens because we push for it. It happens at the ballot box, in town halls, and through relentless pressure on our representatives. So here's what we're asking you to do. Contact your senators and representatives. Tell them where you stand on Supreme Court expansion. Register to vote if you haven't already, and make sure everyone in your circle is registered too. Our ancestors marched, organized, and sacrificed for a voice in this democracy. Let's use it.

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Jaylen Brown Speaks Out: Why They Steer Athletes From Us

Jaylen Brown just said the quiet part out loud, and we need to talk about it. The Celtics star and NBA champion recently revealed that advisors — the folks paid to guide athletes' careers — often discourage them from giving back to their communities. He called the pressure to stay silent "weird," and honestly, it's more than weird. It's a pattern with deep roots. Think about it: Black athletes have always faced this tension. Speak up, risk your endorsements. Stay quiet, keep the checks coming. From Muhammad Ali to Colin Kaepernick, we've watched talented Black men and women pay real costs for choosing conscience over convenience. Brown's comments remind us that this pressure hasn't disappeared — it's just gotten quieter, dressed up as "professional advice." Here's why this matters for us, the everyday folks reading this newsletter: representation isn't just about who's on the court or in the boardroom. It's about who uses their platform to push our communities forward, and who gets discouraged from doing so. When advisors tell athletes to "stay in their lane," they're really saying our issues aren't worth the risk. So what do we do with this? We keep showing up. We support athletes and public figures who choose community over comfort. We register to vote, we show up to local meetings, and we hold institutions — sports leagues included — accountable for creating space, not silence. Brown didn't back down. Neither should we. Talk to somebody today about registering to vote. Our voice, our vote, our legacy — nobody should be able to buy our silence.

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Elegance Bratton Is Making Sure Our History Stays on Screen

History has a way of disappearing if we let it. That's exactly why filmmaker Elegance Bratton refuses to sit still. With his upcoming civil rights thriller "By Any Means" and his house music documentary "Move Ya Body," Bratton is doing something powerful: turning our past into cinema that demands to be seen, felt, and remembered. Think about it. Our stories, our struggles, our joy, our culture, they've too often been erased, sanitized, or told by people who weren't in the room. Bratton is flipping that script. He's not just making movies, he's preserving legacy. He's making sure the fight for civil rights and the roots of Black musical genius don't get buried under someone else's version of events. That's the work, y'all. Whether it's a camera or a ballot, we have to keep showing up to protect our history and shape our future. Bratton's films remind us that the civil rights movement wasn't ancient history, it was strategy, sacrifice, and community organizing that changed this country. And house music? That's our joy, born from Black and queer resilience, now claimed by everybody but us. So here's the connection: representation matters, on screen and in office. If we don't tell our stories, someone else will, and they'll get it wrong. If we don't vote, someone else will decide our future, and they'll get that wrong too. Support Black storytellers. Register to vote. Show up to local meetings. Hold your leaders accountable. Our history and our future depend on us refusing to be erased.

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Missed for Years, Diagnosed at 40: Our Colon Cancer Wake-Up Call

Right after she turned 40, one Black woman finally got answers to pain doctors had dismissed for years: a 7-centimeter tumor, stage two colorectal cancer creeping toward stage three. Her story isn't rare — it's a pattern. Black patients are consistently diagnosed later, treated with less urgency, and buried under a healthcare system built without us in mind. This isn't just a medical failure. It's a civic one. For generations, our communities have fought for the right to be seen, heard, and cared for — from the Civil Rights Movement's push for equal treatment to today's battles over hospital closures, insurance access, and screening guidelines that too often leave Black bodies as an afterthought. Colorectal cancer rates and deaths remain disproportionately high among Black Americans, yet awareness campaigns and funding rarely reflect that urgency. Here's the truth: policy decisions made in city halls, statehouses, and Congress directly shape whether we get screened early, whether our pain is believed, and whether we survive. This is why civic engagement is healthcare justice. So let's turn this survivor's story into fuel. Talk to your family about colorectal cancer symptoms — don't wait for permission to advocate for yourself. Register to vote if you haven't. Show up to local school board and county health board meetings where budgets for community clinics get decided. Ask your elected officials what they're doing about healthcare disparities in our communities, and hold them accountable when they fall short. Our lives, our health, and our futures depend on us staying engaged, informed, and unwilling to accept "no" as the final answer.

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