Color Of Change PAC: Young, Black Voters Connected with Bernie Sanders; Biden Must Focus to Gain Their Support
The following statement can be attributed to Rashad Robinson, spokesperson for Color Of Change PAC.
During his presidential campaign, Senator Bernie Sanders exhibited a steadfast commitment to calling out the vast levels of income inequality that plague our nation, expanding the scope of what is possible when we listen to the historically disenfranchised.
Senator Sanders’ willingness to call out the true villains, corporate greed and rules designed to benefit the wealthy, resonated with an extraordinary amount of Americans. This is what Sanders brought to this race and this movement, and his messages and supporters cannot be ignored. The Senator garnered record levels of support from the working class. His ability to lift the injustices which are often ignored and exacerbated by those in power was made evident by the surplus of small-dollar donations that collectively powered his campaign over the wealthy elite. Arguably the most impressive function of Sanders’ grassroots movement was the resounding solidarity he found with America’s young people, rooted in messaging centered on the urgent need for a political revolution. The Democratic establishment cannot ignore this.
Vice President Biden is now the presumptive Democratic nominee at a time of unprecedented crisis for our nation. We congratulate him and his team.
However, now more than ever in the midst of a global pandemic that is exposing unparalleled levels of corporate greed, Biden has a responsibility to listen to the concerns and passion Sanders raised. Biden must not just address how we get back to where we stood before the Trump administration took office, but must paint a new path forward, creating a replacement for the current set of broken rules which cannot be fixed peripherally. As we move past primary elections, Biden should reference the blueprint that sparked action in working-class voters and be prepared to address the interests of young, Black voters as readily as their older counterparts. He must continue to find ways to authentically engage with communities of color, resisting the urge to treat Black people as a monolith, as Black people are the voting bloc upon which his future successes rely.