Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is calling on Black voters to vote for her and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in November to make sure their voices are heard.
Harris penned a scathing op-ed published by the Philadelphia Tribune about the way Trump has hurt Black Americans throughout his presidency.
“The Black community understands just how critical this election is — because we are living the consequences of the last election every day,” Harris wrote.
She added, “When it comes to nearly every issue that affects our lives, we have been disproportionately harmed by President Donald Trump and the failures of his administration.”
Harris argued Trump knew how deadly the coronavirus was from the beginning and lied to Americans.
She cited statistics to prove how Black communities have suffered the most.
Harris explained how Black families and businesses had taken a hit because of Trump’s coronavirus response.
According to an April study, 40% of Black-owned businesses shut down while just 17% of white-owned businesses shut down.
She pointed out Black Americans are more likely to be essential workers, and this puts them more at risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Harris claimed Trump denied “the existence of systemic racism and deliberately stoked fear to divide Americans.”
She explained how a Biden-Harris administration would get the nation back on track.
“And as Joe always reminds us, returning to the status quo isn’t good enough — we need to build back better,” Harris wrote.
She continued, “A Biden-Harris administration will create more jobs by investing in the industries that make our economy strong, including infrastructure, clean energy, manufacturing and care work — and we will embed racial justice into the core of our agenda.”
Harris revealed they will invest in small businesses owned by people of color.
She pledged to expand on the Affordable Care Act, build on access to affordable housing, triple funding for Title I schools, and invest in minority communities.
Harris reiterated how crucial it is to vote in the upcoming election.
“For centuries, our ancestors fought for causes bigger than themselves — first for their freedom, and then for the right of all people to participate in our democracy,” Harris said.
She went on, “They understood that we all have an equal stake in our future — and we must have an equal say in determining its course. They understood that, in the words of our hero John Lewis, ‘Democracy is not a state; it is an act.'”
