The Kamala Harris campaign announced a new economic agenda for Black men on Monday. The set of policies include everything from business loans to educational opportunities to affordable drug prices. These plans come as the campaign looks to make sure Black men show up for Harris at the polls.
Harris will ‘deliver for Black men’ through economic opportunities
Promising to “deliver for Black men,” the Harris campaign’s wide-ranging set of economic policies proclaimed that “she 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 announcement detailed a five-point set of policies aimed at specifically or disproportionately benefiting Black men. First was a pledge to provide 1 million new loans, fully forgivable, of up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs and others, through a partnership with the Small Business Administration as well as banks and other entities.
Second, Harris has pledged to increase “education, training, and mentorship programs that help Black men get good-paying jobs in high-demand industries and lead their communities,” per a news release. The plan specifically focused on plans, among other opportunities, to increase the number of Black male teachers, who currently make up only 1% of all public school teachers. Other priorities include regulating cryptocurrency and legalizing recreational marijuana — and creating conditions for Black men to successfully invest in these young and growing industries. The announcement also focused on Harris’ policies to reduce the prices of health care, groceries, housing and child care, all of which disproportionately impact Black people.
Harris campaign ramps up outreach to Black men
As Harris has campaigned for the November election, both as a running mate and later as the head of the Democratic ticket, she has reached out to Black communities in a variety of different ways, including reaching out to HBCUs. The Harris campaign frames the new set of policies as the result of an Economic Opportunity Tour that the vice president engaged in earlier this year, which focused on reaching out to Black voters and Black men in particular as she visited cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Detroit.
In recent weeks, surrogates for the campaign have been attempting to solidify its support among Black men, who could prove crucial in key swing states like Michigan and Georgia. During a speech in Pittsburgh, former President Barack Obama stirred up intense reactions when he decided to “speak some truths” about the softer enthusiasm for Harris among Black men compared to their support for his candidacy. Former President Bill Clinton visited Georgia this weekend, seeking to mobilize Black and rural voters for Harris. Appearing on CNN, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock asked Black men who are considering supporting Donald Trump to remember the Republican candidate’s treatment of the Central Park 5, who Trump called to be executed; he has not apologized or retracted his comments despite the five being exonerated.
Raphael Warnock says Black men considering voting for Trump should consider Trump’s treatment of the Central Park 5 pic.twitter.com/jhgATV5PQB
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2024
Monday’s announcement by the Harris campaign is one of the clearest and most comprehensive efforts yet to reach out to Black men and provide specific reasons why they should support the vice president at the polls. With only a few weeks to Election Day, the competition for the votes of Black men will only intensify.
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