BLM Founder Surveyed 31Ok Black Voters, Right here’s What She Discovered

A brand new report is shedding perception into the political opinions and aspirations of greater than 31,000 Black voters because the nation prepares for the 2020 elections.

Alicia Garza, who co-founded the Black Lives Matter motion in 2013 and is now a principal with the Black Futures Lab, launched a report titled “Extra Black Than Blue: Politics + Energy within the 2019 Black Census.”

It’s the primary in a collection of stories billed as the biggest survey of Black folks performed in the USA since Reconstruction. The doc was printed in partnership with Shade of Change, Demos, and Socioanalítica Analysis.

The Black Census Mission (to not be confused with the U.S. Census), launched in early 2018 with an formidable agenda to ballot tens of 1000’s of various Black folks. Respondents embody voices not at all times represented in conventional survey methodologies, together with LGBTQ folks, at the moment and previously incarcerated people, Black immigrants, the homeless, Black conservatives, and combined race folks with a Black dad or mum.

The report confirmed that respondents had been strongly aligned with key Democratic coverage priorities, resembling closing important gaps in high quality of life by means of a dwelling wage, high quality public schooling, and healthcare. However the findings additionally confirmed that sentiment doesn’t translate to instant, strong help for the get together or sure candidates.

To place it bluntly, greater than half of Black Census respondents mentioned politicians don’t care about Black folks.

BET not too long ago spoke with Alicia Garza by cellphone. The interview has been edited for size and readability.

BET: Why this report and why now?

Alicia Garza: I’m nonetheless shaken by the outcomes of the 2016 election. And one of many issues that was actually difficult for me, notably throughout that course of was definitely that when once more we noticed not solely the misalignment or the assaults on the rising motion to make Black Lives Matter, however on the similar time we had been seeing an actual lack of deep and sincere and significant engagement with Black communities who had been in an uproar for a number of years at that time concerning the situations in our communities. And oftentimes I might say to candidates and to individuals who inquired, Black folks deserve the issues that every one folks deserve and admittedly we’re being shortchanged by seeing candidates who need our votes on speak reveals however not having them convene city halls on points which might be essential to us.

BET: The press launch concerning the report had a quote by which you famous the playbook for reaching Black voters is typically insincere, even embarrassing?

AG: Oftentimes I might really feel like [candidates and consultants] could be like `Yeah, yeah, no matter, that is how we at all times have interaction Black voters.’ And actually made a whole lot of assumptions that Black voters had been going to go alongside to get alongside it doesn’t matter what. And if 2016 wasn’t the impolite awakening that individuals wanted, I don’t know what’s.

I need a candidate that may not solely have interaction and encourage Black communities—although Black communities turned out in pressure in 2016 it was definitely decrease than the earlier elections. So for me this venture and the Black Futures Lab as an entire is admittedly an extension of the final 5 years of organizing and mobilizing and protesting. And what I do know and what we all know is that Black communities should be highly effective in politics. Our job with the Black Census venture and positively with the Black Futures Lab is to guarantee that Black communities have the instruments that we should be highly effective in each facet of our lives, making politics no exception.

BET: You have got many collaborators on this nationwide.

AG: So we determined that this may be a venture that we hoped would contribute to a bigger motion. And we conspired with Shade of Change, Demos and Socioanalítica Analysis — these powerhouse organizations — and in addition collaborated with greater than 30 grassroots organizations, resembling PushBlack, throughout the nation to achieve Black communities who are sometimes marginalized.

One, we needed folks to grasp that Black communities are advanced. At any vacation gathering you see this. We acquired our bougie cousins, cousins within the hood, the Black Energy uncle, we have now a large span of identities and experiences. If political campaigns are participating Black folks as they’re [currently doing], they can not hope to achieve success.

Look: when are [candidates] gonna transfer previous this fried hen dinner image and depart the new sauce alone and get on with the purpose? Black folks don’t care when you’ve got scorching sauce in your purse. We care about our points. How can we maintain a household; we care about getting access to reasonably priced well being care. We care about ensuring that we have now entry to schooling and might ship our children to school. Let’s truly take care of the problems that Black people are being impacted by.

BET: What’s subsequent?

AG: Our subsequent stories — one is forthcoming in June — will have a look at points from the attitude of the LGBT group, gender and millennials.

Right here [https://blackfutureslab.org/black-census-project-2/] are different key findings from the report:

Financial Justice:

Low wages are thought of essentially the most urgent amongst Black Census respondents, with 90% viewing it as an issue, together with 85% who take into account it a serious drawback.

Greater than three-quarters help rising taxes on people incomes $250,000 or extra.

Almost half (48%) report dwelling in a family that lacked sufficient funds to pay a month-to-month invoice within the final 12 months and 31% in the reduction of on meals to save cash.

Political & Civic Engagement:

73% of respondents report voting in 2016 and a 3rd (34%) of respondents additionally report participating in different electoral exercise, i.e. fundraising, volunteering, and/or canvassing.

Regardless of the notable degree of electoral participation, 52% of respondents say “politicians don’t care about Black folks and pursuits.”

62% of Black Census respondents have a positive view of the Democratic Get together (in comparison with simply 6% with a positive view of the Republican Get together), however a fifth of respondents have an unfavorable view in the direction of the Democratic Get together.

Prison Justice:

87% of respondents take into account law enforcement officials killing Black folks an issue locally; moreover, 84% p.c say that law enforcement officials not being held accountable for his or her crimes is an issue.

Greater than half (55%) of respondents have personally had a unfavorable interplay with the police sooner or later, and 28% of these describing a unfavorable encounter with police within the final 6 months.

81% strongly help Black Lives Matter, which is about the identical ranking as former President Barack Obama.

73% of Black Census respondents consider community-police relations will be improved if police are held accountable for his or her misconduct.

84% help restoring voting rights of previously incarcerated folks whereas 63% strongly help it.

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