Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, on Monday is unveiling a sweeping socioeconomic plan focused on Black men that would legalize recreational marijuana and introduce a “regulatory framework for cryptocurrency,” according to a Harris campaign release.
The Black Men’s Opportunities Program also details plans for a national health equity initiative focused on Black men and aimed at addressing health issues that disproportionately impact them, such as sickle cell disease, diabetes and mental health.
“This program furthers Vice President Harris’s concept of the opportunity economy,” said Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond, a former U.S. representative from Louisiana. “An economy in which people not only cope, but move forward. Where black men are equipped with the tools to thrive: buy a home, support their families, start a business, and build wealth.
The plan comes ahead of a campaign rally Monday night in Chief Erie, at which Harris will appear with U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (R-Pa.).
Harris’ plan to legalize marijuana focuses on creating a recent industry and ensuring that “black men — who have been over-policed for years for using marijuana — have access to wealth and jobs in this new market.”
The campaign noticed this 20% of Black Americans own or have owned cryptocurrencyso Harris’ plan would focus on regulations that protect cryptocurrency owners and investors.
The agenda calls for the forgiveness of business loans for Black entrepreneurs up to $20,000, for those who want to start a business, and for entrepreneurs who locate their miniature businesses in an underserved community. Loans will be made through a partnership with the Small Business Administration and local lenders.
The plan would include education, training and mentoring programs focused on attracting more Black male teachers by investing in U.S. Department of Education programs designed to “partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).” )” – we read in the announcement. Part of this will be “strengthening” the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to recruit more black male teachers.
The plan calls for promoting training opportunities in Black communities using community organizations such as the National Urban League to support Black men gain training and technical qualifications.
Under the health portion of the plan, the National Health Equity Initiative would expand preventive screening programs for prostate and colorectal cancer; expand the budget of the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities; and fully funds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Sickle Cell Data Collection Program, creating a sickle cell database to improve the prevention and treatment of blood diseases.
The plan also highlighted a Harris’ previously announced initiative forgive medical debt that affects 1 in 4 people Black houses.
AND New York Times/Siena College Poll likely black voters released Saturday found Harris retaining the majority of support among likely black voters over former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee. But the poll found that support weakened amid President Joe Biden’s share of the Black vote in 2020. And while 83% of Black women surveyed said they supported Harris, only 70% of Black men said the same.
Obama is campaigning for Harris in Pittsburgh, kicking off the battleground state campaign
Former President Barack Obama visited Pittsburgh on Thursday to campaign for Harris, a longtime friend and political ally. During a visit to a campaign field office, he made edged remarks about what he saw as a lack of support for Harris among black men.
“We haven’t seen the same kind of energy and turnout in all the neighborhoods and communities that we did when I was running,” Obama said, adding that “part of me thinks, well, you’re just not, ‘I can’t imagine a woman becoming president.’ .
Harris’ campaign plans to put the plan into action and present it to voters, including at Black men’s Huddle Up events with celebrities, influencers and activists at Black-owned sports bars and restaurants in battleground states. The event in Philadelphia is scheduled for October 20. Harris’ town hall in Detroit will be followed by an organizational talk on Tuesday with Charlamagne tha God, host of the Breakfast Club radio show.
The campaign will also include a series of “economic freedom” talks with Black business owners, intensify existing community organizing events in battleground states and air recent paid ads with testimonials featuring Black men in those states.
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