Jobs and Justice – will young Black voters come out in November?

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor-at-Large
November 5th, 2024 is General Election Day.
By then the political horse-trading for the White House should be decided between the major two parties with a prospective rematch of Democrat President Joe Biden, and Republican former President Donald Trump.

“We’ve been canvassing the young people in the community, just seeing that they’re registered, and asking about how they feel about the election. A lot of them have checked out. They just don’t want to vote,” Dominique Sharpton, National Director of Membership for the National Action Network (NAN), told Our Time Press. “This is a battle with two old men, and they don’t feel included.”

It has been a tumultuous week in national politics with Biden trying to convince voters and supporters of his cognitive competence; and the widely-reported alleged “assassination” attempt of Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday, 13th July, where he was shot in the ear by a 20-year-old registered Republican.

Yet, nothing stops the 24-hour political news cycle. The Republican National Convention kept the election headline news. Aside from the choices of Joe and Donald, also-rans running currently include Prof. Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy.
A roster to inspire young folk to get up and go to the polls?

Perhaps not immediately self-evident, but some youth activists and experienced elders urge engagement in the process since garnering community political power is not a spectator sport.

“It is imperative that each of us are responsible for the world we live in,” the former CEO of Amer-I-Can of New York Walter Beach told Our Time Press. “Voting is one of the responsible ways to have an impact on one’s life. Not to seriously consider can not be blamed on being young. Self-neglect is self-abuse.”

The Board of Elections mission statement determines that they provide the service so, “that qualified voters may exercise their right to franchise and that every opportunity be given to voters to execute that right and to vote for whom they choose.”
Is the acerbic tone of this year’s election period encouraging or discouraging the young vote?

Or will there be a ‘Youth Quake,’ similar to what happened in Britain during the July 4th General Election? There many young people turned from the two major political parties – Conservative and Labour; and instead looked to other groups such as the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National Party, Reform, and independent parties.

UK’s yahoo!news – stated, “The combined vote share for smaller parties among the under-30s was greater – at 46 –than the 42% who voted for the Labour party.”

“Unfortunately our youth cannot be excited with the upcoming election,” Omowale Clay, December 12th Movement Chairman told Our Time Press. “Faced with the fear of Trump winning and Biden, every day appearing as a loser, with the history of assisting genocide in Gaza. However, the responsibility of the conscious is to fight disinformation out there and point out the reality that our people organized is the greatest weapon.

It is not only the basis of being heard but in fact, laying the basis to create justice and development for our people. Whatever the outcome of this election, this government cannot change our fundamental conditions. This is the work before us.”

Asked what are the major asks for young people this general election requests, Ms. Sharpton replied, “From jobs to justice; provisions on why Black and Brown babies are still being disproportionately stopped by police. They feel like they’ve not been heard on things that we have pushed for in terms of what applies to them like student loans.

There is not a lot of attention around community safety, around gun control, around student debt relief. There are issues in dealing with raising the minimum wage, and what happens with the economy and how prices are constantly going up and there’s no direct pipeline to how young people will survive in corporate America, or once they’ve graduated or finished their studies.
“They don’t see a lot on the agenda in terms of what the presidential candidates are actually discussing in terms of policy. We just see empty promises.”

Does she feel that young people will show up in November?
“I don’t. I don’t see that. But, I do see us having an opportunity to turn things around if we continue to engage and do what we need to do as community leaders to not only disseminate information, and make sure that we are doing our part to make sure that they understand the political process, and what really is at stake. We can’t afford for anyone to sit this one out.”

If not impressed with the presidential election, what about the local city and state elections?
“Yes,” said Ms. Sharpton, “local politics is something that we definitely need to amplify, with provisions like housing, especially in New York; around mental health; and dealing with how drugs, substances, and guns are coming into our community.”

These are real-life issues, said the mom and activist, and “not something we are seeing on social media or hearing on the news or on the radio. This is affecting our homes and our livelihoods, that’s taking our friends’ lives, and that’s taking our children’s lives.

“There are provisions being discussed, but young people are not aware of them. This is why spaces like the NAN Youth Huddle are important. It is where the information is being disseminated, the elected officials are coming, and the young people are there, but we have got to take it to the streets, and make sure that we are reaching everyone.”

Optimistically, Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker told Our Time Press, “The youth vote is a driving force in this year’s elections. They’re engaged, they’re excited, and they’re ready to shape the future. Young voters are stepping up, bringing unprecedented energy and passion for social justice, climate action, and economic fairness.

This election will see their voices louder than ever, demanding real change. The days of youth indifference are over—this is their time to lead.”
@NayabaArinde1