LOS ANGELES, CA – Black Lives Matter Grassroots joins Black America and the world in celebrating the historic victories of Black, progressive, and socialist candidates. Through our “Vote & Organize” initiative we are proud to have helped build the momentum that led to the election of record-breaking numbers of Black Senators, Congressional Representatives, governors, and huge gains in state legislatures, courts, and local governments across the country. We commend organizers on the ground who helped deliver significantly Black states, like Texas and Georgia from conservative control.
We look forward to working with Black proven progressives and socialists – Pennsylvania’s Chris Rabb, Colorado’s Melat Kiros (below), Michigan’s Donovan McKinney, New Jersey’s Analilia Mejia, New York’s Darializa Avila Chevalier (above), and continuing to work with courageous leaders, especially California’s Lateefah Simon, Massachusetts’ Ayanna Pressley, Pennsylvania’s Summer Lee, and Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar – who won by her biggest margin ever, despite relentless attacks by the FBI and the President.
We embrace the possibilities of collaborating with non-Black progressives like Michigan Senator-elect Dr. Abdul Al Sayed, California Rep-elect Angela Gonzales Torres and New York Congresswoman-elect Claire Valdez.
It is not lost on us that with the election of Janeese Lewis-George and Nithya Raman, the cities of Chicago, DC, LA and New York will all be led by democratic socialists. That fact alone represents a generational chance for change.
That said, we understand that it is our sacred duty to push all elected officials – regardless of title, party affiliation or race to take bold action and produce policies that foster Black liberation, eradicate fascism, offer economic relief to the working class and bring long denied justice to the victims of state sanctioned violence.
Winning a seat at the table is not the victory. The win is in the policies and progress that come about because of who is in the seat. Black Lives Matter Grassroots is committed to demanding accountability, transparency and results from all candidates. It is clear that “Black faces in high places” alone are not the answer, nor are the easily-donned labels of progressive or democratic socialist. We will be watching how these electeds move: tracking legislation and votes; parsing budgets and agendas and pushing radical, abolitionist and audaciously progressive policies and programs every single day.
We join with the movement to block Congressional Black Caucus member, Hakeem Jeffries, from becoming House Speaker and longtime corporate Democrat, Chuck Schumer from being made Senate Leader.
Election Day and its “blue wave” or “Black hurricane” (as Dr. Jason Collins dubbed it) is not the end of the season but the kickoff to the real work – organizing for Black liberation.
