Dr. Cornel West Surpasses Ballot Access Threshold In Michigan, Signaling Major Shift In 2024 Election

Photos: YouTube Screenshots

[Lansing, Michigan] The Cornel West for President campaign is thrilled to announce the submission of signatures far exceeding double the required number to the Michigan Secretary of State this week. This significant achievement paves the way for Dr. Cornel West, running as an independent candidate, to appear on the ballot in Michigan for the upcoming November election.

Michigan, a key battleground state with a narrow margin of victory among Biden and Trump, represents a key strategic victory for the campaign. Dr. West’s message of change and advocacy for underrepresented communities has resonated deeply across the state, including significant Arab and Muslim populations in areas like Dearborn.

“We are confident that the support we’ve garnered, especially from communities that feel unheard, will translate into substantial voter turnout,” said Dr. West. “Our campaign is bringing the voices of the forgotten directly into the heart of American politics.”

Dr. West has actively engaged with diverse communities throughout Michigan, addressing pressing issues such as the water crisis in Flint and the impact of trade policies on local jobs. This direct approach has garnered strong support and enthusiasm for his candidacy.

Dr. Melina Abdullah noted, “We are both humbled and honored by the enthusiasm with which Michiganians have embraced our campaign. The overwhelming number of people who share our vision for Truth, Justice and Love is indicative of the urgent need for transformation.”

As we move closer to election day, the Cornel West for President campaign will continue to engage with voters across the Rust Belt and beyond, advocating for policies that uplift all Americans and challenge the status quo. This is just the beginning of a powerful movement that will carry Dr. West to the White House.

About Dr. Cornel West

Dr. West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary.

Dr. West is the former University Professor at Harvard University, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and the first Black person to receive a Ph.D. In Philosophy from Princeton University. He has written 20 books and he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He delivered the historic Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in Spring 2024.

Dr. West enters the 2024 Presidential contest at a time in which he describes a national crisis of moral bankruptcy and spiritual obscenity driven by a derelict duopoly of both major parties that equally places profits over people and the planet. West asserts that running as an Independent candidate affords him the opportunity and duty to deliver policy prescriptions incorporated by and for the people, instead of political parties beholden to corporations and special interest groups who feel no solidarity with poor and working-class people of all races, gender identities, and age groups.

The Cornel West Campaign to empower poor and working people everywhere stands at a pivotal moment in history, committed to being a true campaign for people around the globe. Our aim is and will always be to unite in solidarity with movements of truth and justice, who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system.

About Dr. Melina Abdullah

Dr. Melina Abdullah is a Professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, where she has also served as Department Chair. A respected scholar and dedicated activist, Dr. Abdullah is deeply involved in organized labor and social justice movements, holding roles such as the Chair of the Council for Racial and Social Justice with the California Faculty Association’s Los Angeles Chapter. She has been a lifelong union organizer and a delegate to the County Federation of Labor, melding her academic expertise with grassroots activism to champion causes such as the “Cops Off Campus” campaign and the establishment of Ethnic Studies in educational curricula.

A founding organizer of Black Lives Matter, Dr. Abdullah continues to lead the Los Angeles chapter and serves as Director of Black Lives Matter Grassroots, driving local and national initiatives that aim to dismantle systemic racism. Her leadership has been pivotal in various campaigns for justice and equity, including #BlackWomenAreDivine and #EndPoliceAssociations. Dr. Abdullah’s commitment to social change is also evident through her role in media, where she produces and hosts “Move the Crowd” on 90.7FM KPFK, furthering public political education.

Beyond her professional and activist roles, Dr. Abdullah is a devoted mother and a champion of community engagement and empowerment. Raised in Oakland, California, by a family of union workers, she embodies the values instilled by her ancestors and strives to pass on a legacy of resilience and advocacy to her three children and her community in Los Angeles’ Crenshaw District. Her extensive contributions to social justice have earned her numerous accolades, including the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance “Champion of Change” Award and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award from Loyola Marymount University.

Learn more about Cornel West at CornelWest2024.com. 

Learn more about Dr. West’s Policy Pillars at CornelWest2024.com/Platform.