Latest news with #WinWithBlackWomen
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Don't wait for an election year to listen to Black men
Heading into the final stretch of the 2024 election, it seemed every cable news program had a segment dedicated to this one question: What will Black men do? Progressives on the ground were voicing concerns about Black male voter turnout long before the 2022 midterms. But because the overturning of Roe vs. Wade enabled Democrats to avoid a 'red wave' then, the urgency regarding Black men was muted. That quickly changed once former Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee and media personalities such as Stephen A. Smith and Charlamagne tha God began questioning her qualifications without a hint of irony. In the end, nearly 75% of Black men voted for Harris, and all of those cable news segments about the concerns of that voting bloc went away. That's unfortunate because in many ways the question at the center of it all — 'What will Black men do?' — is more relevant today than it was seven months ago. Since President Trump has retaken office, federal civil rights offices have been gutted, grants for minority business programs canceled and the names of enslavers are making a comeback on military bases. Cable news may be waiting until the next election to talk about the concerns of Black men, but the Black community can't wait that long. Khalil Thompson and Bakari Sellers agree. The pair are part of the leadership team for Win With Black Men, a political advocacy group that began in 2022. Thompson said he was inspired to start the group by Win With Black Women, which started after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Both organizations were key to jump-starting the enthusiasm for Harris, especially financially, with each raising millions of dollars within days of her campaign's launch. Now, with the election behind us and three years of a hostile White House administration ahead of us, Thompson's group has announced an 18-city listening tour starting in July to strategize about ways to help the community outside of the political system. The goal is to reach 3,500 Black men in person and another 25,000 through a national survey in hopes of building a database to better serve the community. Thompson said it's particularly important to keep people engaged now that the election is over because of how the White House continues to test the limits of both presidential power and the support from his party. 'There has to be a moment where right is right,' said Thompson, a former operative for President Obama. 'We raise our children to understand the basic tenets of being a good person. ... We need to build a system that can adequately accommodate and support the vast majority of people in this country who just want to enjoy this small amount of time we have on this planet. I see the protests happening and the raids and I'm reminded of Ruby Bridges or the lunch counter in Greensboro. What is happening now in our cities — ripping parents away from their children — doesn't speak to our better angels.' Sellers added: 'Democracy is participatory, and a lot of time people forget that. The choices are to be on the sideline or get engaged — either way, you are involved.' He made that choice at a young age, becoming the youngest Black person in elected state office across the country in 2006, as a 22-year-old state representative in South Carolina. His early social justice work echoes that of his father, Cleveland Sellers, who was part of the leadership for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the civil rights movement. 'I'd rather get in the fight, be knocked around a little bit, face terror head on, knowing I'm doing it for a just and righteous cause,' Sellers said. Thompson said that in addition to engagement, Win With Black Men is looking to be a vessel for helping people financially with their utility and grocery bills, as the steep federal cuts and job losses threaten to send millions of Americans into poverty. The current fundraising goal is $2.5 million. And while the organization is nonpartisan, Sellers said a prominent Democrat is the unofficial North Star: 'We need to get back to the politics of Jesse Jackson. Meet people where they are, focus on the working class and facilitate conversations that uplift people, not demean them.' Few things are more demeaning than feeling like your voice matters only once every four years. If nothing else, this upcoming listening tour is a reminder to Democrats that Black men are more than a vote. @LZGranderson
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joy Reid Jokes That She's 'Recently Been Through a Breakup' as She Makes Surprise Appearance After MSNBC Exit
Joy Reid has a sense of humor about her recent exit from MSNBC. While speaking at Essence's Black Women in Hollywood event on Feb. 27, the broadcaster, 56, made a not-so-subtle reference to the network's decision to end her nightly news segment, The ReidOut. "Good afternoon and welcome to Essence's Black Women in Hollywood," she began her speech. "Now, I think you might have heard that I recently been through a breakup, but not with my husband!" "Not with my husband, because today actually is our anniversary," she added, noting that the couple were celebrating 28 years of marriage on that day. Related: Joy Reid Exits MSNBC Hours After Lester Holt's Big NBC Announcement amid Series of TV News Axes and Reshuffles The lighthearted joke comes after MSNBC's new president Rebecca Kulter announced that Reid would be exiting the network on Feb. 24. "Joy Reid is leaving the network and we thank her for her countless contributions over the years," Culter wrote in a memo sent to staff. "Her work has been recognized with several esteemed honors, including most recently, the 2025 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News Series." Reid also addressed the news in a statement shared to BlueSky and Instagram just after midnight, prior to the memo. 'I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement, both personally and in these social media streets,' Reid said. 'So very proud of The Reidout @ team, who are truly family, and all of our supporters & friends. See you tomorrow night at 7, one more time.' The ReidOut became an evening mainstay on MSNBC since its 2020 inception and saw the political commentator hold extensive interviews with politicians and other public figures. Related: Rachel Maddow Live on MSNBC: It's a 'Bad Mistake' to Let Joy Reid Leave Network During an appearance on the Win With Black Women podcast on Feb. 24, Reid addressed her departure and acknowledged that she was feeling a wide range of emotions. 'I've been through every emotion from, you know, anger, rage, disappointment, hurt, guilt, that I let my team lose their jobs,' she said, getting teary. 'But in the end, where I really land … is just gratitude. Just pure gratitude. And gratitude not just because people would take the time to get on a call like this or to take care of me, but also that my show had value.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Reid also said she had no regrets about the news she chose to cover during her time on MSNBC, including the Black Lives Matter movement, hate crimes towards Asian Americans and immigration. 'I'm not sorry. I am not sorry that I stood up for those things," she added. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Joy Reid Speaks Out Against 'Fascism' In Last ‘The ReidOut' Opening
Joy Reid ended her newly canceled news show The ReadOut with a message against fascism. In her opening message to her viewers, the 56-year-old posed a question about the actions that can be taken amid a 'crisis of democracy.' 'We begin tonight with what I think is the question when you are in the midst of a crisis, and specifically a crisis of democracy: How do you resist when fascism isn't just coming, it's already here?' the Brooklyn native asked in a clip from the episode shared across social media. 'What, if anything, can you do about it? For one thing, you can try to learn from history, from what people in this situation, in countries around the world and in America, have done before. As my friend Rachel Maddow always says, 'History is here to help.'' According to the Associated Press, fascism is defined as 'an authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is often associated with the far right and characterized by a dictatorial leader who uses military forces to help suppress political and civil opposition.' Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy are two of history's most infamous fascists. AP notes in modern times, the term has evolved into a looser political definition and is often used as a 'catch-all for efforts to spread oppression and racism, as well as to decry dictators or leaders who embrace totalitarian tactics.' Maddow is one of several people who have spoken out against the cancelation of The ReidOut. The Rachel Maddow Show will continue on MSNBC amid network leadership and programming changes. '(Reid) is leaving the network altogether, and that is very, very, very hard to take,' Maddow said per Forbes. 'I am 51 years old. I have been gainfully employed since I was 12, and I have had so many different kinds of jobs. You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But in all of the jobs I have had in all of the years I have been alive, there is no colleague for whom I have had more affection and more respect than Joy Reid.' Former MSNBC primetime host Keith Olbermann also called the decision to cancel The ReidOut 'racist.' The ReidOut cancelation announcement was confirmed earlier this week. President Donald Trump expressed excitement about the news. 'I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement, both personally and in these social media streets,' Reid shared in a statement on social media. 'My show had value,' she said in a Win With Black Women call streamed on YouTube on Sunday (Feb. 23), listing the range of topics her team tackled daily. 'Whether it was the Black Lives Matter issues … (or) talking about Gaza and the fact that we as the American people have … a right to object to little babies being bombed … I am not sorry that I stood up for those things.' Watch Joy Reid's final opening on The ReidOut below. More from Joy Reid's 'The ReidOut' Canceled At MSNBC Joy Reid Slams Lorenzo Sewell's "Over-The-Top" Prayer At Trump Inauguration Amber Rose Accuses Joy Reid Of Being A "Race Baiter"
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Joy Reid Devotes Final MSNBC Show To Ways To Resist During Donald Trump's Presidency: 'Fascism Isn't Just Coming, It's Already Here'
Joy Reid devoted her final MSNBC show Monday to offering her viewers guidance on resistance, or how to respond to Donald Trump's moves to consolidate power in his second term. Reid opened the show by posing a question at the top of the hour. 'When you are in the midst of a crisis, and specifically a crisis of democracy, how do you resist? When fascism isn't just coming, it's already here.' More from Deadline MSNBC Confirms Schedule Overhaul With Jen Psaki And 'The Weekend' Anchors Getting Primetime Slots; Joy Reid's Show Canceled MSNBC To Drop Joy Reid From Primetime Lineup; 'The Weekend' Anchors And Jen Psaki Eyed For Nighttime Slots Judge Declines To Order White House To Immediately Restore AP's Access To Events After Trump's "Gulf Of America" Ban Earlier today, MSNBC announced its was canceling The ReidOut as part of a schedule overhaul, and that Reid would be departing the network. Fellow MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace and Lawrence O'Donnell joined Reid to offer their take on the resistance, as well as to offer some farewell messages. 'I am bereft that The ReidOut is ending,' Maddow said. 'I sort of can't get beyond that. But that is also part of what I have to say to the country about this moment, which is find people who you respect and trust and love and make common cause with them and help yourself by learning from them, and help them by standing up for them.' After news broke on Sunday that Reid's show would be canceled, Trump went on a social media tirade, blasting Reid as a 'mentally obnoxious racist.' That type of reaction from Trump, though, revealed how much Reid pushed his buttons, as well as others on the right. The network has received pushback among a number of prominent progressives for her show's cancellation. Reid said in an emergency Win With Black Women call on Sunday that she has been through 'every emotion, from anger, rage, disappointment, hurt, feeling guilt that I let my team lose their jobs. But in the end, where I really land, and where I have landed on today is just gratitude.' She said that 'my show had value, and what I was doing had value.' She said that she was not sorry for presenting hard-hitting views on a range of issues, including talking about Donald Trump's assault on the Constitution and 'talking about Gaza and the fact that the American people have a right to object to little babies being bombed.' 'I am not sorry that I stood up for those things because those things are of God.' Reid launched her 7 p.m. ET show in 2020, when it replaced Chris Matthews' nightly program. The network is replacing the show with one hosted by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders Townsend and Michael Steele, who currently anchor the Saturday and Sunday show The Weekend. The network has emphasized that its schedule overhaul is a continuation of its progressive bent, particularly in primetime. Reid closed out her show by thanking each member of her production staff individually, while vowing, 'We are not going to stop.' Best of Deadline 'Severance' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Land On Apple TV+? All The Songs In 'Severance' Season 2: From The Who To Ella Fitzgerald 'Severance' Cast Through Seasons 1 & 2: Innies, Outies, Severed And Unsevered
Fox News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Joy Reid warns MSNBC viewers fascism is 'already here' in her final show at liberal network
"ReidOut" host Joy Reid made her final bow on MSNBC by sounding the alarm about "fascism" in America. "We begin tonight with what I think is the question; when you are in the midst of a crisis and specifically a crisis of democracy: How do you resist– when fascism isn't just coming, It's already here? So, what, if anything, can you do about it?" Reid began her show Monday. "For one thing, you can try to learn from history, from what people in this situation, in countries around the world and in America have done before. As my friend Rachel Maddow always says, history is here to help." "The first rule is to fight back, to never stop resisting. Do not obey in advance, as [anti-Trump historian] Tim Snyder put it… Even if it's scary or uncomfortable or inconvenient, just keep saying no. Or finding creative ways to say no in small ways and large," she later said. Reid was later joined by her "comrades in arms" Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace and Lawrence O'Donnell, who all showered her with praise. Reid closed her show by thanking a lengthy list of staffers. Appearing on a Zoom call Sunday night with the group Win With Black Women, Reid said she had gone through "every emotion" since she learned of her show's cancelation from "anger, rage, disappointment, hurt," as well as "gratitude" from the support she has received. While holding back tears, Reid declared "my show had value" and said she would not apologize for going "hard" on issues like Black Lives Matter, immigrants, the 1619 Project, Gaza as well as her opposition to President Donald Trump. "I am not sorry I stood up for those things because those things are of God," Reid said on the Zoom. "And you know, I'm a church girl too, and those are the things that I was taught were of God. So I'm not sorry. I'm just proud of my show." Reid's 7 p.m. ET program, which launched in 2020, will be replaced by a show featuring Symone Sanders-Townsend, a former spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris, Alicia Menendez and RNC Chair turned MSNBC host Michael Steele, according to a source familiar with the plans. The three of them currently co-host a weekend program together. There has been a flurry of programming changes across the Peacock network. "Inside with Jen Psaki" hosted by former Biden White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, will be replacing "Alex Wagner Tonight" in the 9 p.m. ET timeslot when MSNBC's Rachel Maddow reverts to Mondays following the end of Trump's first 100 days in office. Wagner will remain with the network as a political analyst. Ayman Mohyeldin's "Ayman Mohyeldin Reports," Katie Phang's "The Katie Phang Show" and Jonathan Capehart's weekend programs have all been canceled, but the three hosts will remain with the network in different roles. MSNBC is also in talks to add Politico's Eugene Daniels and New York University law professor Melissa Murray to potentially join the network, Fox News Digital has learned. Additionally, NBC's Lester Holt will be stepping down as anchor of "NBC Nightly News" later this year, focusing on his duties as "Dateline" host on a full-time basis going forward.
