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Progressive Cori Bush Just Pulled Off the Upset for the Ages and Is Poised to Become the 1st Black Woman to Represent Missouri in Congress
Sometimes a stone, a sling and immaculate aim are enough. On Tuesday, in what can only be considered a victory for the ages, Black Lives Matter organizer and activist Cori Bush defeated Rep. William Lacy Clay in Missouri’s Democratic primary. Clay served in the House of Representatives for some 20 years. “They counted us out.…
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'We Have Been the Table Shakers': Rep. Ayanna Pressley Uplifts Black Women and Honors the Late Rep. John Lewis in Conversation at The Root Institute
“Black women–our hair, our bodies—are criminalized. Certainly, I am not exempt from that because I have a comma and a title after my name. That is still a weaponizing experience as a Black woman, as a Black woman in congress, and certainly, as a Black bald woman in congress navigating these spaces.” —Rep. Ayanna Pressley…
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Fair Fight's Stacey Abrams on How We Can Protect Our Right to Vote
The right to vote is one that has been fought over, died over and challenged again and again, as it was expanded to include African Americans and women after being something only for those who were white and male. While Fair Fight’s Stacey Abrams admitted in our interview that voting is not a catch-all solution…
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Rep. Ayanna Pressley Discusses the Power of Black Women at The Root Institute
Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a history-making Black woman. As the first woman of color in the history of the Boston City Council and the first Black woman to ever be elected to Congress from Massachusetts, Pressley is a departure from the old white men who, for too long, have dominated the political arena in the…
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Welcome to The Root Institute, Featuring Interviews With Stacey Abrams, Cory Booker, Taraji P. Henson and Many More
It’s happening! A gathering of the minds—from politics featuring Stacey Abrams and Ayanna Pressley to entertainment and culture with Ava DuVernay and Lee Daniels to health and wealth with Taraji P. Henson and Cory Booker to social justice with Tarana Burke of #MeToo. It’s time to sit down and talk about how we can take…
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Naturally, the Oprah Winfrey Network Wants You to #OWNYourVote, Launches Voting Initiative for Black Women
You’ve probably heard it countless times, but it can’t be said enough: 2020 is an extremely pivotal presidential election year. As such, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) has launched “a bipartisan registration and get-out-the-vote campaign partnering with national and local grassroots and voting rights organizations to provide tools and resources that will empower Black women…
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The Root Institute Is Coming This August and Stacey Abrams, Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, Tarana Burke and Ayanna Pressley Will Be There
Black people make things happen. We not only create the culture—we move the culture forward. We not only influence politics—we push for real change in our lives. Without justice, there truly is no peace, and we’re about enriching our minds and bodies as much as our communities. With this in mind, body and spirit, The…
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Should Black Voters Form Their Own Party? Too Late, Someone Already Did
“Aight, bet.” While that colloquialism may seem innocuous to many people, in Black communities across America, those two words are both a threat and a promise. It is the most acceptable answer to the question “What are you gonna do about it?” and is roughly translated as: “I can show you better than I can…
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Black Athletes Donate $100,000 to Help Pay Debts of Former Felons in Florida So They Can Vote in 2020
Black athletes and entertainers are standing up in a major way to make sure the voices of Black people matter in this year’s elections. More Than A Vote, a group founded by LeBron James and others in June to fight against voter suppression, says it will donate $100,000 to help pay the outstanding debts of…
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Honoring a Nation’s ‘Conscience’: How Will Lawmakers Pay Tribute to Rep. John Lewis’ Legacy?
It is hard to sum up civil rights icon and longtime congressman John Lewis’ legacy—much less find suitable ways of honoring it. But as the country grapples with losing one of its most esteemed public servants, ideas have poured forth on how to properly pay tribute to the life and deeds of a man frequently…