As the whole country must reap the consequences of the 2016 election, and the GOP has taken office, the Democratic Party is looking for better ways to reach progressives. However, black progressives are beginning to take a different route. 

Black progressives are beginning to depend less on the DNC and more on creating their own spaces to grow revenue and support. While most black progressives identify as members of the political party, the interest of these black folks has not always been the interest of the party. Rather than renounce the DNC altogether, black democrats are taking the longing for more support and turning it into independent fundraising and policy activism.

“There’s a coordinated effort to organize black money to get behind candidates and political initiatives," Quentin James, a Democratic strategist behind one such group called Collective PAC, stated. "And if the DNC doesn’t follow through with these commitments, I can see these groups becoming stronger and black donors will start giving primarily to outside groups.” 

The goal of outside groups is to have more leverage and mobility for demanding the change black Democrats have been asking for.

Tom Perez, the new chair of the DNC, has praised the outside groups for their commitment to both Democratic values and activism. He mentions the repeated problem of telling young Democrats to have a seat at the table, but not to speak up. Finally, that is changing.

“We talk a lot about millennials and people of color being the future of our party," he added. "but frankly that future is now."

If the future is now, then change must come now as well.

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