Vice President Kamala Harris said she intends to earn the vote of Black men, and she appears to be taking action.
Harris, who is facing a tight 2024 presidential race against GOP nominee Donald Trump, introduced a new plan aimed at increasing economic opportunities for Black American males.
The vice president’s proposal includes measures to boost Black entrepreneurship through forgivable loans, create more apprenticeships, and research diseases like sickle cell that disproportionately affect Black American men.
According to The Associated Press (AP), Harris presented her plan during a visit to Erie, Pennsylvania, where she met with Black men at LegendErie Records and Coffee House, a small Black-owned business that recently opened.
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Her push to advocate for better economic opportunities for Black men comes after controversy over former President Barack Obama suggested that some Black men “aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president.”
Some Democrats are worried about low enthusiasm among this key voting bloc ahead of the election, The Associated Press noted. And some national polls show a small but notable shift of Black Democrats swaying toward the Republican Party.
Therefore, the Harris campaign’s “opportunity agenda for Black men” aims to mobilize Black male voters amid concerns that some may choose not to participate in this year’s election because of dissatisfaction with Harris or Trump.
“The issues that we care about more times than not are the same across people, but there’s deeper urgency and greater responsibility for us to be focused when it comes to Black men,” Michael Blake, a former Obama White House alum and CEO of KAIROS Democracy Project, told theGrio.
Harris has a history of engaging Black men, theGrio reported. She hosted Black male leaders at her Washington, D.C., residence and convened Black male entrepreneurs at the White House to help them scale their businesses.
Meanwhile, Trump is also making efforts to appeal to Black and Hispanic voters, holding roundtables with Black entrepreneurs and planning to speak at a Univision town hall.
Here’s a breakdown of Harris’ proposal aimed at Black men:
Cannabis participation
Not only has Harris vowed to decriminalize possession of marijuana, she also wants to ensure Black men have opportunities to participate in the national cannabis industry as it develops. As part of her agenda, Harris said she supports legalizing marijuana.
“I will work on decriminalizing it because I know exactly how those laws have been used to disproportionately impact certain populations and specifically Black men,” Harris told Charlamagne Tha God during a recent town hall.
She’s also calling for stricter regulation of cryptocurrency to protect Black men and others who invest in digital assets.
RELATED: ‘I’m Going to Win‘: Harris Addresses ‘Misinformation’ During Town Hall
Addressing common health issues
Harris said she plans to create a national health initiative to tackle issues that disproportionately affect Black men.
She wants to boost funding to detect, research and combat many diseases, including sickle cell, diabetes, prostate cancer, mental health challenges and other health issues faced by Black men.
Overall, Black people, who make up 14.4 percent of the population, are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and die more quickly after diagnosis, as previously reported by Blackdoctor.org. The American Cancer Society estimates 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in Black men in 2024, with approximately 35,250 deaths.
Forgivable business loans
If elected, Harris pledges to distribute one million loans of up to $20,000 that can be fully forgivable to Black entrepreneurs and others with strong business ideas, according to AP.
The loans would be dispersed through partnerships between the Small Business Administration and community leaders and banks “with a proven commitment to their communities,” her campaign said.
Additionally, she aims to increase the number of good-paying jobs in “high-demand industries” for Black men through education, training, and mentorship programs. She emphasized the need for more Black men in teaching positions, saying she wants to offer incentives to encourage more of them to train to become teachers.
RELATED: Trump vs. Harris: Who Would Benefit Black Americans’ Health Care?
‘Black Men Huddle Up’
The Harris campaign plans to host “Black Men Huddle Up,” featuring Black male celebrities and watch parties for football games in key battleground states.
Cedric Richmond, Harris campaign co-chair and former Louisiana congressman, told the AP that the goal is to build an economy where Black men can “thrive,” whether through starting businesses, buying homes, or building wealth.
Additionally, Harris said she would work with organizations like the National Urban League to provide more apprenticeships in Black communities.
