Activist DeRay Mckesson stopped by The Breakfast Club on Thursday morning to discuss topics like police brutality, #BlackLivesMatter, transphobic legislation and Beyoncé.
DeRay is one of 10 people Beyoncé follows on Twitter. Charlamange asked Mckesson if Beyoncé DM’d him. He did not give a direct yes or no, but simply affirmed that “she’s committed to this work.” He also discussed transphobic legislation that some state governments are attempting to pass. Mckesson shames the the transphobic rhetoric surrounding these bills, denouncing them as the manifestation of “fear mongering.” He says that “identity is not just about the clothes you wear, it’s about how you identify.”
Mckesson also talks about the trolls on social media. Having received many death threats, he points out that he is not the one killing citizens, asking he trolls, “why are you so mad?” DeRay talked about how people united in 2014 and suggests that he is optimistic that that beauty can manifest itself in the activism to come.
Mckesson says he has voted in the primary, but publicly remains neutral. Having met with Bernie Sanders, he asserts that the movement pushed Sanders to cover racial inequity like no other candidate has had to do before. Mckesson said that Hillary was slow to cover race issues and because of that, “people question her sincerity.” He even covered Donald Trump, saying, “Trump has done such a good job of convincing white people that they are the most marginalized people in America.”
Mckesson engages in pop culture on the Internet. He talks about using Dove soap and enjoying music. Mckesson declares “we [black people] are more than our pain” and that black people have “this deep sense of joy.” Mckesson’s tells listeners that his ultimate goal is to be “in a position where we can actually do the things to change people’s today and tomorrow.”
Watch DeRay’s full interview below:
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