During the election year, there is always an effort for Black people to galvanize our efforts and to leverage our worth in these United States of America as a voting bloc. That is part of the democratic process and it is one of the highest displays of citizenship.  Whenever there is a rallying call for candidates on all levels of government to work to support and campaign on issues that are paramount to Blacks and to the “Black Agenda” the question is always, “What do you want?”  The next follow up from other racial and ethnic groups, and even some Blacks, is to give Black people a set of instructions on ways to make our demands heard by open ears who only further mute them by talking over us with:

“What y’all really have to do is to create an agenda and focus on the key issues. You must organize—you must come together first and foremost before they can take you serious.”

Really?

Enough of the nonsense already.

Stop telling Black people what we have to do in order to get these paid and elected officials to do the work of supporting all of their constituents.

Stop blaming Black people for not being powerful enough to overcome the economic, social and political disparities faced while living in America.

Whipping Black people when your tongues and disdain will not make us disappear and the disparities will only continue to exist.

Rather, insist that elected officials apply an equity model to campaigning.   All groups have needs in these United States of America, but some groups need more.  An equity model relies on the use and understanding of the data collected by the myriad governmental organizations that reflect the economic, social and political conditions of Black people. The narrative this data tells must be addressed and it must be used with fidelity to solve problems where the problems exist and for whom the needs are most urgent.

Elected officials must direct their campaign efforts to address what the data reveals. That is how we make America better.

More than anything, America loves a hearty statistic—it loves to keep records and report back on how our nation has progressed. But what about the reports that discuss how stagnant and regressive we have been?  If we want to make The State of the Union, The State of the State, and The State of the City Addresses barometers of America’s forward movement, we cannot only use the feel-good data and omit the disparaging ones.  All of the data matter.

An equality approach to governing and campaigning will never close economic, social and political gaps—we all should not get the same resources because we all do not need the same resources.

Elected officials and presidential hopefuls:

Start allowing your campaigning efforts to reflect the imperative need to address and eradicate the disproportionality experienced by Black people in this country as the data reveals. If you have not drafted and revealed a comprehensive plan to address any of the areas of disproportionality faced by Black people in America, you should not be running for office and you do not deserve the Black vote.  Bring us a plan in the same vein as plans are created to address other dire needs and groups wanting to be upwardly mobile—do not ask us to create one for you.  Elected officials work for The People. Let the data be your guide.

Start demonstrating some integrity and really allow your work to reflect what Black voters need.  If you are incapable of committing to working for us, stay out of Black churches and get off of Black college campuses, especially during election years.

Shame on you if you are pandering for a vote to occupy a seat in office that will leverage more perks of immunity, government insurance, economic breaks, and the power to determine the value placed on the lives of Black people through the policies you create and support in education, mass incarceration, etc…without first presenting a comprehensive plan that will work to close the levels of disproportionality Black people face economically, socially, and politically.

Black people, STOP giving away our votes to people who won’t even compete passionately to get them.  We need plans, not promises.