Building A Pro-Black World

Making Black Communities Powerful in Politics—and in Our Lives

Alicia Garza

Despite rigged rules¹ and relentless attacks on our right to vote,² Black communities have shown up, shown out, and changed the trajectory of this country for the better. In the last decade, we have transformed the national landscape in ways that bend toward freedom. The global social movement for Black lives has hastened our victories over the last decade. We have shifted the balance of power in Congress, ushered in a new president to replace one pushing us toward fascism, and won important victories in cities and states across the nation. Our legacy is one of resistance, resilience, and change; from slave rebellions to the civil rights movement of the 1960s to the Black Lives Matter movement of today, Black communities have always been at the forefront of significant and meaningful change.

What's good for Black communities is what's good for the country, as Black communities are a bellwether of our society. What Black people need and the issues they experience—such as low wages, expensive healthcare, and unaffordable housing—are what most Americans are experiencing now, even as Black communities have been affected by these issues for decades. By addressing the needs of Black people and securing the things we deserve—including livable wages to raise and support our families; affordable, quality healthcare; physical, social, and emotional safety; and the power to make and change the rules that affect ...