Black Lives Matter is gradually making systemic racism a campaign issue for the Democratic presidential hopefuls. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is running as a Democrat, on Sunday introduced a policy platform targeting structural anti-black racism. O’Malley has rolled out a framework for criminal justice reform, although it’s less explicit in its discussion of racism than Sanders’ platform.
Hillary Clinton, however, has not yet produced a comprehensive agenda focusing on police violence or mass incarceration — issues that disproportionately affect black Americans — even though she is currently the most popular candidate among black voters, with a favorability rate of 68 percent.
“In the next six months, up to the primaries, we really want to be challenging each candidate about their platforms, or lack thereof, specifically relating to a black agenda,” Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter said. “We’ve gone far too long with president after president who doesn’t center the needs of black people — and then, in fact, creates policies that completely decimate black communities.”
Read more here on how the movement intends to hold the candidates accountable.
