For Black Women, There’s No Relaxing This Election, But There Are Reasons To Be Very Hopeful

Source: JIM WATSON / Getty

Aimee Allison, the founder of the political strategy organization for women of color, She the People, began the second part of our discussion by explaining the polls. They don’t consistently show one clear leader. Forbes noted that in the past week alone, at least six surveys have shown Harris with a narrow advantage, while three others indicate a slight lead for Trump. The candidates are virtually tied in key swing states.

Read: Aimee Allison Interview Part One

“Polls aren’t votes.” ~ Aimee Allison

In our conversation, though, Allison stressed the importance of not allowing polls to amplify fears as election day draws near. “Polls aren’t votes,” she said, highlighting that they often under-sample Black women and people of color. She encouraged voters not to be swayed by potentially misleading statistics and for Black women and women of color to channel all their energy into action by voting and helping their networks do the same.

More, Allison shared her belief that electing a Democratic president and congress is likely the only way to effectively address the issues that Black women and women of color—most people, in fact–are concerned about. A recent Washington Post report found that if people voted just on policy matters–no candidate attached—there would be a single, clear winner: Kamala Harris.

“We’ll buy you a plane ticket and put you in a group to actually go knock on doors to talk to people who have identified as Kamala Harris supporters or people who are on the fence. They’re persuadable. The battle isn’t Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris so much as it’s voters versus nonvoters. Stacey Abrams taught us this lesson,” she said of the leader whose work ultimately delivered Georgia–and the presidency—to Biden in 2020.

“We have to go talk to people and get them to turn out their vote. That’s how we make an impact.”

Aimee Allison Source: She the People / She the People

It really is the economy…and Project 2025 and basic rights and…

The economy is just one reason Aimee Allison is working so hard to encourage Black women–particularly young Black women–to vote. None suffered more under the Trump administration–or in its aftermath. Despite Trump’s lies and disinformation, the economic challenges of the last three years, now reversing, were actually created by Trump.

According to Josh Bivens, Ph.D., Chief Economist at the nonpartisan research-based Economic Policy Institute [EPI], the Trump administration squandered the economic strength he inherited from Obama–even before his mismanagement of the pandemic completely devastated it. 

ABC News reported that Trump’s economic policies were a “failure in leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated the financial downturn…” Trump’s domestic policies benefited wealthy people more than anyone. His foreign trade policies damaged U.S. industry and failed to reduce tariffs with China. His domestic ones didn’t control the national debt or undergird anyone except the wealthy.

Continuing to fix the harm done by Trump, Allison said it’s not only about the presidency but also down-ballot races. “We need a trifecta,” she emphasized, adding that although the president “can take some actions regarding federally backed loans and reproductive rights, more comprehensive solutions are required.” 

To achieve this, a Congress that collaborates closely with the White House is essential. For Black women, that outcome is especially essential. Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor found that Black women lost an estimated $42.7 billion in wages when compared to white men. 

However, only Vice President Harris has prioritized raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour from its current $7.25 per hour. The increase would significantly benefit Black women who earn less than their white counterparts, male or female. And doing so would likely be most possible if the government eliminated the filibuster in the Senate.

Filibustering is a procedure in which lawmakers attempt to delay or block a vote on legislation or confirmation. It was originally established to protect segregationist interests, allowing individual senators to block important legislation that needed to be passed.

The Harris team is also committed to raising the wages of sub-minimum wage workers–people who work for tips. “That’s a Black woman’s issue. That’s a Black people issue and that’s a woman of color issue,” Allison said.

Reasons to fight, reasons to hope

All Black women will face serious challenges if Trump is reelected. How do you prepare for fascism, she wondered aloud, remembering Jan. 6, 2021, and his dangerous rhetoric before, during, and after his presidency. 

She recalled the incident in which a white couple threatened protesters with guns, underscoring the protection they received. If Trump were to win, Project 2025 will increase police immunity—despite the discrimination in police violence that disproportionately kills, incarcerates and otherwise harms Black women, and all Black people.

Threatened by fascism, the one thing we can do, Allison says, is unify. 

“The study of Black politics has something called linked fate,” she said. “It measures why Black people, more than any other group or subgroup in America, are so unified.” And that’s calibrating for age, gender, gender identity, region of country, religion, sexual identity or class.” 

Allison added, “That’s our strength,” as we head into the final weeks of this election cycle–and afterwards.

Allison has been examining indicators beyond polling. She’s of voter engagement by analyzing the number of early votes that have been cast, and so far, she’s pleased by the data.

“The thing that gives me great joy is the Georgia early vote. The turnout of Black women has increased over 150% and the early voting numbers are amazing. That’s a result of the work people are doing in local communities. Pennsylvania is also making me happy right now!”

Early votes don’t mean Kamala Harris votes, Allison instructed. But, she concluded, with Black women leading so many voter engagement groups, there are reasons to be very hopeful. 

Maybe 270 reasons.

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