politics

When two widely respected women link up, great things are bound to happen. Such was the case Monday evening when Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, attended former first lady Michelle Obama's book tour stop at London's Royal Festival Hall. Following the first lady's appearance, which was moderated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Obama and the Duchess held a "power meeting," an anonymous source told the Evening Standard. A friend who attended the lecture with the Duchess claimed Markle "had a long private audience with Michelle.""They spoke at length about the importance of supporting and empowering women across all cultures and communities," the friend disclosed to The Standard.The famous women also exchanged pregnancy stories and anecdotes on raising children, The Telegraph reports. In October, Kensington Palace announced the Duchess is pregnant with her first child, which is due spring 2019.While Obama and Markle's husband, Prince Harry, have interacted before, this was the first meeting between the two ladies. This encounter comes fresh off the advice the former FLOTUS publicly shared with the newest member of the Royal Family. "Like me, Meghan probably never dreamt that she'd have a life like this, and the pressure you feel — from yourself and from others — can sometimes feel like a lot," the Becoming author said in Good Housekeeping's January issue. "So my biggest piece of advice would be to take some time and don't be in a hurry to do anything."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Liking this content? Check these out:Michelle Obama Reveals The Truth About 'Leaning In': 'That S**t Doesn't Work'Michelle Obama Has Some Dating Advice For All The 'Brothas:' 'Do Not Play Games'Michelle Obama Proves She's Amazing At 'Becoming' Barack Obama With This Hilarious...

Since 18-year-old Michael Brown was murdered in August 2014, four Ferguson, Missouri, activists have been found dead. Though police continue to report that there is no reason to suspect foul play in any of their deaths, the circumstances have created cause for concern, leaving some to speculate whether or not their deaths were more than just a coincidence. These men helped shape a movement, and their bravery and determination has inspired us all.It's important that we remember our fallen. Here are four Ferguson activists who have died since the killing of Mike Brown.1.  Deandre JoshuaDeandre Joshua's mother, Maria, was watching the news in late November of 2014, when she saw that someone had been found inside of a white Pontiac Grand Prix."I knew it was him. It was him," she told the New York Times.Her son had been shot to death, and the car had been set on fire.A resident near the crime scene noted that he had previously overheard four armed individuals mention their desire to rob and kill someone as they stood outside of Joshua's home, and this prompted him to call 911. However, the police never came.Although he was not directly involved with Ferguson protests, the Joshua family believes the 20-year-old's death was directly related to the widespread Ferguson protests, which immediately followed a grand jury's decision not to indict Darren Wilson for shooting Mike Brown.Joshua's death has been investigated as a homicide. 2. Darren SealsEerily similar to Joshua, community activist, hip-hop artist and unapologetic fighter for his people Darren Seals was found fatally shot in a burning car in 2016.According to The Washington Post, shortly after Mike Brown's death, Seals co-founded an activist group, Hands Up United.A few months prior to his death, the St. Louis native tweeted about an encounter with 10 police officers.yea 10 detectives pulled me and my 14 year old brother over, pointed guns on us, and told me "choose your enemies wisely"— King D Seals (@KingDSeals) July 25, 20163.  Edward Crawford Edward Crawford was found in the backseat of a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head on May 4, 2017. His death was eventually ruled a suicide.Crawford became well known after St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer Robert Cohen snapped a photo of the outspoken activist throwing a tear gas canister in the direction of what seemed to be police officers.In 2017, Edward Crawford was found shot to death in his car too. pic.twitter.com/IE7B4WRKjY— elexus jionde. (@Lexual__) October 31, 2018However, before his tragic death, the father of four told CNN that the canister had initially been thrown in his direction, landing just feet away from where he was standing, which was also in close proximity to some children."I was merely getting the canister away from me and the kids,” Crawford said in his interview with CNN.Still, the third Ferguson fighter to mysteriously die was charged with assault and interfering with a police officer. According to Heavy, Crawford's father, Edward Crawford Sr., told the St. Louis-Dispatch that his son was in good spirits the last time he saw him, and that was two days before his death. He also claimed that he didn't believe his son's death was the result of suicide.4. Bassem MasriAs depicted in the above photo, many knew Palestinian-American activist Bassem Masri to hold law enforcement accountable, and keep civilians informed on what was happening in the streets of Ferguson. Masri had recently announced his plans to run for Missouri House of Representatives in 2020.Unfortunately, just a few months after making this announcement on Facebook, the devout Ferguson protest attendee reportedly passed away due to a massive heart attack.Honorable Mention: Danye JonesOn October 17, 2018, relatives of Danye Jones reportedly found the 24-year-old hanging from a tree in his family's backyard.Jones' mother, Melissa McKinnies, has been very outspoken against police violence, as an ardent supporter of the famous Ferguson protests. Whether her son's death was directly related to her activism remains unknown, but many suspect that there is a connection. Though police determined Jones' death was the result of suicide, soon after the incident, McKinnies reportedly took to Facebook, posting, "They lynched my baby." In a later Facebook post, she also announced that she's "ready to get up and fight for her baby."There has been a deep concern over these deaths, and some suspect law enforcement could potentially be involved. However, no evidence indicating signs of foul play has been brought forth as of yet. Make sure you're following Blavity:Politics on Instagram and join our daily newsletter to stay engaged and informed.Also, check these out related links:Activist Bassem Masri Is The Fourth Ferguson Protester Who's DiedNewly Released Documents Show FBI Used Stakeouts And Informants To Follow Black Lives Matter ActivistsFive St. Louis Activists, Leaders Who Are Helping To Better The Quality And Treatment Of All Black...

Howard University students should not have to fight for a seat at the table.However, the East End Health Equity Act, a new proposal set to be voted on Tuesday by the City Council of the District of Columbia, could prove that they might have to do just that. The proposal has called for the development of a new hospital in the Southeast Washington, D.C., run by nearby George Washington University Hospital. Although a new hospital would enable the local community to thrive, the proposal also happens to exclude Howard University Hospital — and consequently the students of Howard University College of Medicine — from its plans.The addition of a new hospital could lead to a decline in the number of patients that visit Howard University Hospital, which, in turn, would impact the level of educational access health professional students enrolled at HU College of Medicine could obtain. Throughout the institution's 150-year history, HU College of Medicine students have utilized Howard University Hospital as their training ground. Ultimately, the hospital has supported the education of more than 10,000 African American physicians, while also providing a safety net for thousands of patients in the D.C. neighborhoods of Ward 7 and Ward 8. According to a recent letter by Howard President Wayne Frederick, there are 1,700 Howard College of Medicine physicians who currently practice in the D.C. area, and "many of these physicians provide services in the city’s most impoverished areas."Dr. Frederick's letter also provides more clear insight into the possible repercussions of failing to include the medical school into the proposal, such as a significant drop in funding and — worst of all — accreditation loss. Additionally, he states that though the new hospital's proposed opening is scheduled for 2023, now is the time to fight for Howard's inclusion in the proposal, voicing concerns to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser as well as to City Council.So while it's unclear why the city would consider plans to enact an "equity" proposal that simultaneously excludes the district's only HBCU, what is clear is that the university's officials and the 740 students who are currently enrolled must act in order to save their beloved community. Howard students have spent the past few days rallying together via social media under the hashtag #HowardMedicineMatters, spreading the word to their peers about how this proposal will directly impact their futures."I'm here today — in the middle of taking four exams — to tell you how important it is that we cannot afford for the African American community to be excluded from the East End Hospital Deal," said Miranda Barnes, who is a first-year medical student at Howard."Without the Howard University Hospital, where would that leave us?"Please listen to our students. #HowardMedicineMatters https://t.co/gqqFrMcQ9c pic.twitter.com/5aVfGQek4Z— Howard University (@HowardU) December 3, 2018Others, including Mr. and Ms. Howard University Brandon Allen and Kayla Waysome, tweeted about a town hall for students to attend in order to speak out, which was held on December 3.Mister and Miss Howard University are urging you to come out to the town hall meeting tonight at 5:30. Protect the legacy of Howard University Hospital, #HowardMedicineMatters pic.twitter.com/bVmjwb7lca— Howard University (@HowardU) December 3, 2018"Howard University students deserve access to new resources," Waysome said."Howard University students deserve a seat at the table in this new, cutting-edge facility," Allen followed.Councilman Trayon White intends to propose an amendment that would actually include HU College of Medicine within the East End Health Equity Act. According to an email from Alonda Thomas, director of public relations at Howard, the esteemed learning institution stands behind White's amendment, because it would help "ensure that Howard doctors and residents would be able to practice and train at the new hospital.""If there are no changes made [to the proposal], it places us at a disadvantage. It doesn't close the door on continuing to pursue what we believe is right, and what we need to do to get an agreement," Dr. Hugh Mighty, dean of HU College of Medicine, told Blavity in regards to the university's plans moving forward, assuming the amendment is rejected and the original proposal goes through. "In order to continue to teach our residents, we have to have access to the [new] hospital."Howard's community is banding together, refusing to let up on ensuring that the futures of its students are not at risk, as a result of being left out of the East End Health Equity Act."The first action plan is to continue to pursue an engagement with the city that gets us to a point where we are satisfied that Howard will have a seat at table, in order to continue our training," Dean Mighty said. "We're not moving on to plan B, C or D until we have exhaust all options as they stand in front of us."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for more fresh stories, perspectives and breaking news.Like this content? Check these out:Medical Students Of Color Use Fashion To Increase Minority EnrollmentHow 2 Doctors Combat A Lack Of Diversity In MedicineWhat Happened At Howard?: 7 Things You Need To Know About The School's Financial Aid...

In front of hundreds of in-person and thousands of online viewers, Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez likened the government's ongoing fight for climate change as great as the struggle for civil rights or putting a man on the moon.The statement was made during a Monday night panel titled "Climate Change Town Hall," organized by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). "This is going to be the Great Society, the moonshot, the civil rights movement of our generation. That is the scale of the ambition that this movement is going to require," Ocasio-Cortez, 29, said about climate change.Her statement was followed with roaring applause.According to The Hill, the New York Democrat questioned President Trump's laissez-faire stagnation in combating global warming, urging the incoming 116th Congress to be more assertive with its agenda. "It's unsurprising that the response to any bold proposal that we have is to incite fear," she said in her criticism of the Trump administration. "To incite fear of loss, to incite fear of others. To incite fear of our future. But the only way we are going to get out of this situation is to be courageous."Yahoo News writes that the Bronx native also equated the "Green New Deal," a new initiative driven by liberals to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1930s economic New Deal when America was knee-deep in the Great Depression, and the world was heading toward war."No one would have thought that a nation so poor, so scarce and in such dire straits as we were in that time could pursue such a bold economy agenda, but we chose to anyway. We had the courage to do it anyway," Ocasio-Cortez added.While her hands-on approach is respectable, many are calling out the soon-to-be freshman representative on the dramatic comparison, saying the two issues do not measure up in the slightest. As one person pointed out, Black people are, in fact, still fighting for their civil rights.Hey @Ocasio2018 Black people are still fighting for civil rights dear! It’s insulting to compare climate change to the Civil Rights movement. https://t.co/WG9C2hkTOZ— Achmat X (@AchmatX) December 5, 2018@Ocasio2018 But don't forget we're STILL FIGHTING the Civil Rights Movement. https://t.co/Oc6q0iZ206— MalcolmMartinMedgarMandelaMarley🌹🙏🏽✊🏽❤🖤💛💚 (@JesusWasARebel2) December 5, 2018"Environmental justice & community sustainability have always been a pillar of civil rights," one user reminded Ocasio-Cortez, using the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as an example.@Ocasio2018 Great sentiment, but we're definitely in the second "act" of the actual Civil Rights movement. And in case anyone missed it, environmental justice & community sustainability have always been a pillar of civil rights. (i.e. Flint). https://t.co/Ik9ejAvazW— Daniel Leal (@TheDanielLeal) December 4, 2018Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tells GOP Senator He Needs To Pay A Visit To D.C.'s African American MuseumConservative Reporter Says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Work Attire Doesn't Look Like That Of 'A Girl Who Struggles'Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Destroys Fox News Anchors Mocking Her Living...

The country celebrated many firsts in this year's mid-term election, and now history is being made again. Former banking executive Frank Scott was recently elected as the first Black mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas.On Tuesday, Scott defeated 64-year-old attorney and businessman Baker Kurrusa in a nonpartisan runoff election. KATV News reports the former district superintendent lost to Scott who gained 58 percent of the vote to his 42. Scott replaced Mark Stodola, the outgoing mayor, who did not seek re-election after 12 years in office due to a family medical issue.The newly elected 35-year-old served as a state highway commissioner and adviser to former Governor Mike Beebe. He also served as an associate pastor, deputy police director and on the boards of directors for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Arkansas and the Little Rock Port Authority before his new position. Scott, a Southwest Little Rock native, attended the University of Arkansas during his undergraduate studies and earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.“I’m a product of Little Rock public schools and a graduate of the University of Arkansas – Little Rock's Master of Business Administration program. Despite a modest beginning, I have been able to live out my potential because of the foundation I had right here in Little Rock,” he said.  Little Rock has had only two Black mayors, but they were elected city directors chosen by fellow board members, not voters. Scott is the city’s first Black mayor elected by popular vote. He believes in Little Rock’s ability reach its full potential.“Many may not believe that same kid from Southwest Little Rock can become mayor of the state’s largest city, but anything is possible if we unite vision and purpose to our potential,” Scott stated.His supporters included New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, the first Black U.S. Senator from New Jersey, who's considering running for president in 2020. He’s also gained support from Republicans like Will Rockefeller, grandson of Arkansas' first Republican governor since Reconstruction. Supporters hope Scott’s election in the state where 42 percent of the city's population is Black will address racial divides.Joyce Elliott, a Democratic state senator from Little Rock, expressed her thoughts about race relations in the city:“Race is a major dividing line in this city. That’s one, but the other major dividing line in this city is economics,” she said. “Those two things have been lethal for this city, and we are not doing a good job of having a conversation or a plan that involve all of us that we carry out.”The desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, where nine Black students had to be escorted past an angry white mob to enter the previously all-white school, serves as testimony to the history of racial tension in the state. In recent years, Little Rock's police department has come under fire for questionable tactics including the use of "no-knock" warrants.The city is taking steps in the right direction. The new mayor shared his push for unity with supporters Tuesday night."If you believe it's time to unify this city, let's do it," said Scott.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Man Who Brutally Beat Father And Son Outside Of Family Tire Shop Will Not Face Hate Crime ChargesSouth Africa Court Protects Proposal To Legally Seize White-Owned LandRep. Elijah Cummings Wants Georgia's Brian Kemp To Testify Before Congress About Voter Suppression...

A father and son in Salt Lake City, Utah, were brutally beaten with a metal pole outside of their tire shop by 50-year-old Alan Dale Covington because of their ethnicity, USA Today reports.Covington, who is Black, reportedly asked 18-year-old Luis Lopez if he was Mexican and if he belonged to a gang called the Mexican Mafia before striking him. Lopez's father, 51-year-old Jose Lopez immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico four years ago. Jose heard the attack from inside his shop and tried to protect his son. The father's arm was injured, while Luis suffered severe head trauma.During the attack, Covington allegedly shouted he wanted to "kill a Mexican" and told the Lopezes, "I hate Mexicans." Covington now faces four aggravated assault counts as well as weapons and drugs charges. However, because none are misdemeanor charges, he cannot be tried for hate crimes. Utah law stipulates only misdemeanors can be converted into hate crime charges. Salt Lake City police believe the attack may have been drug-fueled. Covington was found with heroin on his person.“He wasn’t really based in reality," Salt Lake City Detective Greg Wilking told The Salt Lake Tribune. “We don’t want to ignore a hate crime if it’s a hate crime, but we don’t want to make it a hate crime if there’s not that aspect of it.”The family has set up a GoFundMe page to cover the father and son's medical bills. Lopez’s other child, Veronica Lopez, started the page and described the extent of her brother's injuries on it:"My brother's right side of his face was shattered; he had a three-hour surgery to place a titanium plate from the right side of his face to his nose to be able to attach the bones and keep his eyeball in place and a plate under that," she wrote. "We are asking for your help through this difficult time, being that my brother nor dad have any health insurance." Since the attack, the family has raised $64,330, surpassing their original $20,000 goal.  Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Black Man Charged With A Hate Crime After An Altercation With White Woman He Believed To Be A White Supremacist'Yes, I'm Threatening You:' White Man Charged With Hate Crime After Threatening To Decapitate Black Police OfficerFBI Study Shows Black Americans Are Targeted By Hate Crimes More Than Any Other...

Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) wants Georgia Governor-elect Brian Kemp to testify before Congress about his gubernatorial race, according to HuffPost. Kemp oversaw as well as ran in the 2018 Georgia election and has been accused of benefiting from this. He also faces allegations of having promoted voter suppression. Cummings is the incoming chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and wants the committee to get to the bottom of what happened in the Peach State."I want to be able to bring people in, like the new governor-to-be of Georgia, to explain, you know, explain to us why is it fair for wanting to be secretary of state and be running [for governor]," Cummings said.Georgia's gubernatorial race saw Kemp come out on top in a close race against Black Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, who previously served as minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives. While actively campaigning to be installed into the state's highest office, Kemp continued to oversee the election as secretary of state, despite calls for him to resign.After the election, allegations of voter disenfranchisement, including improper voting booth management in Black communities surfaced. As Blavity has reported, Abrams plans to sue the state of Georgia over the handling of the last election, accusing officials of disenfranchising minority and underprivileged voters.  As The Hill reports, Cummings plans to make voter suppression a significant area of focus in the next Congress."One of the things about my committee, you know, it's called Oversight and Government Reform," the representative said. "Oversight, you know, you gotta research and find out what the hell is going on and then, if it is appropriate, to do those things to reform the system."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Andrew Gillum And Stacey Abrams Unite In Call To Reject Trump Judicial PickStacey Abrams Says An Election Worker Tried To Bar Her From Voting On Election DayCory Booker Says Stacey Abrams' Gubernatorial Election Is Being Stolen From...

More than a year after Memphis police shot Davonte Weatherford at a shopping center, footage of the incident has been made public.Thankfully Weatherford, 22, survived the shooting. Police refused press requests for body camera footage of the incident, so Weatherford decided to release the film himself. He first posted the video to his Facebook page and later shared it with The Commercial Appeal. He told the paper he hopes the release of the footage will help him recruit legal assistance in his quest for a settlement.In the video, only a few moments of the shooting can be seen, with the rest of the clip depicting the events that follow. While on the ground, Weatherford asked for help as blood spilled from his back.The young man and the police on the scene have slightly different accounts of what happened, with the vital difference taking place in a section of the encounter not caught on film.The officers claimed Weatherford pointed a gun at them, which is why they shot; Weatherford admitted he had an unlicensed gun on him but claimed he did his best to keep it concealed because he knew the officers would arrest him for possessing it. Law enforcement officials are heard yelling, "You run again, I'm going to kill you!" less than one minute into the video. Immediately following this threat, two shots are fired. The footage then showed an officer exiting his vehicle with his weapon drawn. He approached Weatherford, who is bleeding on the ground, and yelled, "Get on the ground, do not move!" over and over.Once the officer handcuffed the young man, he called for an ambulance. While lying on the ground, Weatherford shouted, "I'm going to die, y'all," and pleaded for help. According to WREG, Weatherford was booked on aggravated assault charges, resisting arrest and theft of property worth $1,000 or less. At a later time, he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. No officers were injured during his arrest.The 22-year-old, who had no criminal record before his arrest, claimed the police are "mixed up," and he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time." He maintained the person the Memphis Police Department (MPD) is looking for ran away in the confusion.The MPD said its investigation is still ongoing. Because the shooting was not fatal, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation opted not to open an investigation.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out: NYC Mother Shot Through Door To Be Buried Overseas, Son Who May Have Been Target Prohibited From AttendingMumia Abu-Jamal Seeks New Appeal In Murder ConvictionEmantic Bradford, Mistaken As Suspect In Alabama Mall Shooting, Killed While Running Away According To...

A member of the Texas Republican Party’s 2018 platform committee proudly declared himself a "white nationalist," according to The Texas Observer.Ray Myers, 74, is very familiar with the political process. After serving as a delegate for Senator Ted Cruz's (R-TX) presidential campaign, the GOP operative worked as a volunteer for President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.On November 27, 2018, the platform committee member wrote on Facebook, "Damn right, I'm a WHITE NATIONALIST and very proud of it."As the president has, Myers defended the nationalism by equating it with patriotism. "I am Anglo, and I’m very proud of it, just like Black people and brown people are proud of their race," Myers told the Observer. "And white nationalist, all that means is America first. That's exactly what that means. That's where the president's at. That's where I'm at, and that's where every solid patriotic American is. It doesn't have anything to do with race or anything else."Myers blamed the media rather than history for the term's current negative connotations and asked, “Is there anything wrong with saying they’re Black and proud? Is there anything wrong with being an American Indian and saying that we’re red and proud?According to The Hill, Myers has been unafraid to use the BLM movement to support his pro-white views."I mean, just like Black Lives Matter, white lives matter, too," Myers has said. "We're all in the same melting pot. Now, why can’t we say, as Anglos, that we're proud?"It was, according to an interview the GOP official gave to Empower Texans, the election of Barack Obama that pushed him toward his current views."I knew immediately that America was in trouble," he said of Obama's rise to power. The policies of the Obama administration prompted him to form the Kaufman County Tea Party, a far-right activist group located east of Dallas.J.T. Edwards, a Black member of State Republican Executive Committee, denounced Myers' remarks shortly after they were posted. However, he does not think Myers' opinions represent any larger opinions within the party."To have so-called white nationalists in our party is basically an abomination of the very foundations of the Republican Party," Edwards said. "If you’re not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. Mr. Myers' position is part of the problem."The Texas GOP has yet to comment on the issue.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Mike Espy Files Paperwork For A 2020 Run After Losing Bid For Mississippi Senate SeatNew Hampshire High School Students Create Racist Jingle Bell Remix: 'KKK, Let's Kill All The Blacks'Senators Kamala Harris And Cory Booker Tease Possible 2020 Campaign...

Mississippi Democrat Mike Espy wants to run for Senate again.On November 30, his 65th birthday, Espy’s committee filed papers to keep the Espy Victory Fund, his fundraising outlet, open for business, according to WJTV. While he cannot declare his candidacy until January 2020, the move sets him up for another run against Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The submission of the papers came three days after he lost to incumbent Republican Hyde-Smith by fewer than eight points.Espy's senior strategist, Brad Chism, said the election energized the former United States secretary of agriculture despite his defeat."Mike Espy feels very encouraged by the results Tuesday night. There is a strong movement underway, and Mississippi has a bright future,” Chism told WJTV.  Espy campaign communications director Danny Blanton agrees."Secretary Espy did a lot of soul searching and determined that there's still too much to be done in Mississippi and wanted to put himself in a good position if he does decide to run," Blanton told The Jackson Free Press. "As Mike said in his concession, this isn't the end — it's the beginning."Espy lost his Senate race by the closest margin Mississippi has seen since 1982 and was able to turn nine counties that were red in the 2014 midterms blue.His gains were especially notable since he only had eight months to prepare for the election after Senator Thad Cochran (R) resigned due to health concerns. Hyde-Smith was appointed interim senator by Governor Phil Bryant (R) in April."You've got to remember that when we started this campaign in April, we had eight months to do what normally people have two years to do," Blanton said. "So if this is going to be done again, he's going to give himself time to do it the right way and not be rushed."Blanton reiterated there are no official campaign staffers in place and the filing is just the first step of many."It's going to take time to really determine any kind of strategy, any kind of timing, any kind of staff presence," Blanton added. "All this is going to take time. Right now, we're just filing with the FEC to give them notice of our intent and interest."Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Now, check these out:Michelle Obama Reveals The Truth About 'Leaning In': 'That S**t Doesn't Work'Mumia Abu-Jamal Seeks New Appeal In Murder ConvictionKansas City Ballet Taps Black Ballerina For Leading 'Nutcracker' Role For The First...