Kamala Harris Black male empowerment/ Harris opportunity agenda/ Black men vote 2024/ forgivable loans Black entrepreneurs/ Harris cryptocurrency protection/ Newslooks/ ERIE/ Pa./ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new initiative aimed at creating economic and health opportunities for Black men. The “opportunity agenda” includes support for Black-owned businesses, apprenticeships, healthcare funding, and cryptocurrency protections. Harris aims to increase enthusiasm among Black male voters for the upcoming election.
Harris’ Plan to Empower Black Men Quick Look
- Key Elements: Loans for Black entrepreneurs, apprenticeships, health initiatives, and cryptocurrency protections.
- Community Focus: Harris seeks to mobilize Black male voters amid concerns of turnout.
- Campaign Stops: Visit to Black-owned business in Erie, Pennsylvania, and rally addressing Trump’s recent comments.
- Outreach: “Black Men Huddle Up” events and testimonial ads aimed at Black male voters.
Kamala Harris Unveils Economic Plan to Empower Black Men
Deep Look
Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a new “opportunity agenda”, targeting economic and health improvements for Black men as part of her effort to bolster support and enthusiasm among this crucial voting bloc. During a visit to Erie, Pennsylvania, Harris highlighted the plan’s key elements, which include forgivable loans for Black entrepreneurs, increased apprenticeship opportunities, federal research funding for health issues disproportionately affecting Black men, and a focus on protecting investors in cryptocurrency.
The rollout of this targeted plan reflects growing Democratic concerns that lower enthusiasm among Black male voters could impact the upcoming election. Despite high support for Joe Biden and Harris in 2020, some Democrats worry that voter turnout could be lower among Black men if the campaign does not directly address their unique concerns.
During her visit, Harris stopped at LegendErie Records and Coffee House, a Black-owned business recently opened by Erie natives Ishmael and Allana Trainor. Her campaign is also organizing gatherings such as “Black Men Huddle Up” events, which feature African American celebrities hosting NFL and NCAA watch parties in battleground states. The aim is to reach out to Black men through direct community engagement and to encourage early voting.
The new agenda also includes policy promises aimed at economic empowerment. If elected, Harris pledges to facilitate one million loans of up to $20,000, which could be fully forgiven for Black entrepreneurs and other qualified applicants. The program would be administered through partnerships between the Small Business Administration, community banks, and local leaders who have demonstrated commitment to fostering Black-owned businesses. Cedric Richmond, Harris’s campaign co-chair, emphasized that the initiative is designed to create an economy “where Black men are equipped with the tools to thrive: to buy a home, provide for our families, start a business and build wealth.”
Education and career development are key pillars of Harris’s proposal. To address the scarcity of Black male teachers—who made up just over 1% of the teaching workforce in 2020-21—Harris’s plan includes federal incentives to encourage more Black men to enter the profession. Harris also proposes expanding apprenticeship and credentialing programs in partnership with organizations like the National Urban League and local governments. Federal support would also extend to forgive educational loans for Black male teachers in public service roles.
Health concerns specific to Black men form another core component of Harris’s agenda. The plan calls for a national initiative to fund research and treatment programs targeting sickle cell disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, mental health challenges, and other health disparities. Harris noted that these health issues, which disproportionately impact Black men, are often overlooked in national healthcare discussions.
Cryptocurrency regulation is also part of Harris’s policy rollout. Harris’s advisors have pointed to the popularity of digital assets among Black male investors and have recommended including cryptocurrency protection in her campaign platform. Under Harris’s plan, a regulatory framework would be established to safeguard investors in cryptocurrency and other digital assets.
Harris’s plan also comes as Democrats attempt to counteract the influence of her opponent, former President Donald Trump, who has made recent outreach efforts to Black and Hispanic voters. Trump has organized roundtables with Black entrepreneurs and plans to participate in a town hall event hosted by the Spanish-language network Univision this week. Trump has also emphasized the economy in his appeals, alleging that illegal immigration reduces job opportunities for Black and Hispanic Americans, a message aimed at highlighting economic concerns.
Recent polling by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that roughly 7 in 10 Black voters hold a favorable view of Harris. The survey found that Black voters, both men and women, prefer Harris’s leadership on issues such as the economy, healthcare, immigration, and foreign policy.
In Erie, Harris also addressed recent controversial comments by Trump. During a weekend interview on Fox News, Trump suggested that the U.S. military might need to address “the enemy from within” if agitators disrupt Election Day. Harris criticized the statement, calling it emblematic of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and a risk to American democracy.
Harris and her team hope the new “opportunity agenda” will increase Black male voter turnout, particularly in swing states. As Election Day approaches, Harris’s campaign plans to hold gender-specific gatherings to foster a stronger connection with Black men, boost early voting, and remind this critical voter base of the stakes at hand.
