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The world has been upended by coronavirus, leaving the shape of our future increasingly hazy.
But one thing that’s absolutely clear is that the leadership in charge of handling this crisis has consistently been dangerously out of touch, leaned into racist rhetoric and, ultimately, continue to serve as a cautionary tale of what can happen when the wrong people come into power.
That is why it’s important — and absolutely necessary — to transition the reins of leadership throughout our country into hands that are truly capable, and ones that look more like our own.
As the National Director for Education Reform Now’s Leaders of Color Initiative (LOCI), it’s my job to recruit Black and Brown leaders for public office, helping to build the bench of the next generation of leaders who will fight tirelessly for the equity we need. LOCI seeks to subvert the centuries-long social “norm” of glaring underrepresentation for marginalized people in positions of influence. We work to create a new pipeline for potential leaders from underrepresented communities — an often-difficult task as these accomplished and qualified folks don’t have the benefits of the oiled-by-bias political machine to help them get elected.
While racism has long run rampant in our politics, right now we are facing a situation as a country that’s unprecedented in its potential ramifications. But given the prejudiced underbelly of our medical, economic and political landscape, you can bet that those ramifications will be felt most strongly in already underserved communities and by the new candidates who are looking to achieve real change within those communities.
That is why we must ensure these aspirants are protected from the mental and physical toll of COVID-19, something we can do by enacting necessary modifications in the policies surrounding the logistics of elections.
For newer voices in the political space, making the decision to enter a race is an exacting commitment on its own, and it poses a much heavier threat than to those insulated by their privilege.
In our current reality, forcing them to make this sensitive determination and then removing their ability to fairly dropout within a narrow time frame is nothing short of cruel, especially as these hopefuls are also the least likely to receive the supportive services necessary to launching and winning elections in the first place. To combat this, we need to extend both the withdrawal and signature deadlines for candidates; now is not the time to ask people to risk their careers and their health by adhering to strict parameters that already unfairly favor those who have long been in the game.
In addition, we must also consider protections around communities. The way the current system is set up, there are too many added burdens placed on voters, especially for those already at risk. If we create automatic voter registration, increase vote by mail options and add additional sites and hours for voting opportunities, we will be able to properly address supporting our most vulnerable populations, while still moving forward with the progress they need.
If Trump’s egregious mishandling of this crisis teaches us any lesson it’s that now, more than ever, we need strong, dynamic leaders. We must shift the current election framework into a structure that will breed change safely and allow candidates to make the choices that are healthiest for themselves and their families.
The way forward will undoubtedly be a path forged by new footsteps, and we cannot deny these future leaders the chance they deserve to create that path — or the protection they need to do so — for the sake of their tomorrows and our own.
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Michael Bland is the National Director of the Leaders of Color initiative under the Democrats for Education Reform (DFER). Michael contributed to the incredible success of the Obama for America Campaign, where he served as the Northeast Regional Field Director in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and conducted region wide plans for voter registration and event organizing for volunteers.
