EFOC 2024: Native Land Pod hosts confront conservative attacks on Black women at Global Black Economic Forum – Essence

Native Land Pod hosts Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillum brought their acclaimed podcast to the stage at the Global Black Economic Forum for a powerful and emotional conversation: “The Politics of Attacking Black Women.” These hosts and their guests, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and activist Crystal Mason, have all been the targets of conservative hate directed at them, whether through the law, the media, or both.

You may know Rep. Crockett from her now-viral epic applause over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s disrespectful comments about her appearance during a House Oversight Committee hearing in May. Crystal Mason’s story is equally viral: She was formerly incarcerated and wanted to exercise her perceived right to vote after serving her sentence.

She cast her vote on a provisional ballot in November 2016, was arrested and convicted several months later, even though her vote was not counted and she never left the polling place. Mason’s conviction was appealed and the verdict was overturned in March of this year, but the district attorney in her Texas district is still trying to send her to prison.

Mason’s story is a prime example of what the panelists want to remind us: that we can put an end to racist attacks by voting. “To change the situation I’m in, you have to vote,” Mason stressed. “Everyone who had anything to do with my situation – the district attorney, the prosecutor – are elected officials.”

The panel also talked about voter fatigue, especially in our families and communities. When Rye asked the audience how many people have someone in their family who doesn’t want to vote, about 50% raised their hands. Her question sparked a discussion about the impact each individual can have by getting votes out in their community, helping with voter registration, or getting people to their polling places on Election Day.

Rep. Crockett encouraged the audience to talk about voting in group chats with friends and family, as personal conversations are often more influential than speeches from politicians. “Our job as Black people in November is to vote,” she emphasized, referring to former President Trump’s recent racist comments in the debate.

Gillum also shared his experiences as a victim and survivor of conservative attacks that prevented him from becoming governor of Florida in 2018. He pointed out that he lost the election by less than one percent. “Family members have the greatest influence in getting voters to vote. Make it your job to come with five,” he said, stressing that we need to make sure everyone in our community votes.

They also addressed the history of Black votes for Trump and the lack of clarity about how Biden has helped Black communities and our country as a whole. Rep. Crockett polled the audience to find out who had student loans forgiven. About a fifth of the audience raised their hands and shared their loan amounts, all over $100,000. Rep. Crockett urged the audience to share these tangible benefits with our loved ones who may be unsure about voting.

Rye explained that conservatives have been planning to completely dismantle our rights for years, if not decades, and that they are making this clear in Project 2025. Everyone on the panel agreed that through our vote, we can build power and defend ourselves against the barrage of political attacks against Black women and our communities.

Cross asked, “When this chapter of civil rights history is written, what will be written about you?