...continued
For Black men in metro and suburban Detroit — Pontiac is roughly 30 miles northwest of the city — grievances against Biden and the Democrats run the gamut. Branden Snyder, executive director of Detroit Action, which promotes civic engagement among Black and low-income residents, said some Black voters feel used by Democrats.
“You hear ‘Biden is looking out for Latinos, Biden is looking out for Asians. They passed an anti-Asian hate bill, but where’s our legislation?’” Snyder said. “Other times, it’s ‘Well, Trump gave me the [stimulus] check.’ Or it’s ‘Trump isn’t that bad, yeah he didn’t do s--- for our communities, but at least someone is telling it like it is.’”
Some of this rhetoric is amplified by advertisements or social media, Snyder said. He cited rapper Kodak Black, who was among those offered clemency from weapons charges on Trump’s final day in office and recently endorsed the former president on the podcast “Drink Champs."
In August, rapper YG , who famously wrote the song “F--- Donald Trump,” said on a podcast that the Black community “forgave” Trump after he rolled out the 2020 Paycheck Protection Program intended to help small businesses during the pandemic. The former president, he said, was “passing out money.”
Community organizers around Detroit have tried to counter those ideas by creating spaces for Black men to speak freely about politics and the issues affecting their lives.
One such conversation took place recently at a strip mall restaurant called P’s and Q’s Bakery and Cafe in northwest Pontiac. The owners opened up the restaurant after hours and grilled burgers for 15 or so civically engaged Black men who had driven through the snow from across the Detroit metro area.
Biden’s economy vs. Trump’s, in 12 charts
Under the pale glow of fluorescent lights, they pushed four tables together and took turns articulating what is at stake in the 2024 election and why they believed Biden’s messaging had fallen flat with some Black men.
“If you can send $800 million to Ukraine, you can’t tell me you can’t facilitate that student loan situation whatsoever,” said Demar Byas, 45, who lives in Pontiac and is a local government employee. “Student loans, homelessness, some of that could have been eradicated. But then we sent that money overseas.”
Kerry Tolbert, also of Pontiac, agreed. “It’s a slap in the face [from] this administration when you watch billions go to other countries and there’s no resources for people right here,” he said.
Norman Clement, founder of the nonprofit Detroit Change Initiative, tried to explain some of the more nuanced reasons Biden’s initial plan for student loan forgiveness was rejected by the courts. At the same time, the self-described liberal said he frequently feels ignored by the Democratic Party.
“All of a sudden, at the last minute in August or September, it’s ‘Black men, can you help save us again?’” Clement said. “Black men are not running to the Republican Party. What they’re doing is sitting at home, doing their own thing, creating their own ecosystems and initiatives. At this point, I have no hope for Democrats to speak to our needs.”
During the two-hour discussion, which grew boisterous at times, several said they were still deciding what to do in November’s election. Some gave Trump credit for at least not making false promises.
“He’s straightforward, there’s nothing else behind him, no ulterior motive — what you see is what you get,” said Travis Glasper, another Pontiac resident. “Give me that versus someone who’s going to lie to me.”
Still, no one in the group committed to voting for Trump. Kermit Williams, a former Pontiac city councilman who called the meeting and has helped convene several other “Brothers’ Brunches” across Detroit, said it’s more likely Black men will sit out the election.
“You have to understand, you elect Donald Trump — Donald Trump is partly responsible for the Central Park Five,” Williams told the group, citing the full-page ad Trump ran in 1989 calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty after five teenage boys of color were wrongly convicted in the rape and beating of a female jogger. Trump has refused to apologize for the ad, even after the five were exonerated.
“Now he’s got YouTube clips, he’s on TikTok and other things targeting Black men that don’t know the history from 30 years ago,” Williams said. “The problem is we don’t tell the true story.”
Some of Trump’s advertisements spotlight his ongoing criminal cases, suggesting he has been unfairly attacked by Democrats and the criminal justice system. Trump himself has claimed, without evidence, that his clashes with the courts have increased his popularity among Black voters, who have strong concerns about police misconduct and mass incarceration. Some Black male influencers on social media have made similar suggestions.
For Black men in metro and suburban Detroit — Pontiac is roughly 30 miles northwest of the city — grievances against Biden and the Democrats run the gamut. Branden Snyder, executive director of Detroit Action, which promotes civic engagement among Black and low-income residents, said some Black voters feel used by Democrats.
“You hear ‘Biden is looking out for Latinos, Biden is looking out for Asians. They passed an anti-Asian hate bill, but where’s our legislation?’” Snyder said. “Other times, it’s ‘Well, Trump gave me the [stimulus] check.’ Or it’s ‘Trump isn’t that bad, yeah he didn’t do s--- for our communities, but at least someone is telling it like it is.’”
Some of this rhetoric is amplified by advertisements or social media, Snyder said. He cited rapper Kodak Black, who was among those offered clemency from weapons charges on Trump’s final day in office and recently endorsed the former president on the podcast “Drink Champs."
In August, rapper YG , who famously wrote the song “F--- Donald Trump,” said on a podcast that the Black community “forgave” Trump after he rolled out the 2020 Paycheck Protection Program intended to help small businesses during the pandemic. The former president, he said, was “passing out money.”
Community organizers around Detroit have tried to counter those ideas by creating spaces for Black men to speak freely about politics and the issues affecting their lives.
One such conversation took place recently at a strip mall restaurant called P’s and Q’s Bakery and Cafe in northwest Pontiac. The owners opened up the restaurant after hours and grilled burgers for 15 or so civically engaged Black men who had driven through the snow from across the Detroit metro area.
Biden’s economy vs. Trump’s, in 12 charts
Under the pale glow of fluorescent lights, they pushed four tables together and took turns articulating what is at stake in the 2024 election and why they believed Biden’s messaging had fallen flat with some Black men.
“If you can send $800 million to Ukraine, you can’t tell me you can’t facilitate that student loan situation whatsoever,” said Demar Byas, 45, who lives in Pontiac and is a local government employee. “Student loans, homelessness, some of that could have been eradicated. But then we sent that money overseas.”
Kerry Tolbert, also of Pontiac, agreed. “It’s a slap in the face [from] this administration when you watch billions go to other countries and there’s no resources for people right here,” he said.
Norman Clement, founder of the nonprofit Detroit Change Initiative, tried to explain some of the more nuanced reasons Biden’s initial plan for student loan forgiveness was rejected by the courts. At the same time, the self-described liberal said he frequently feels ignored by the Democratic Party.
“All of a sudden, at the last minute in August or September, it’s ‘Black men, can you help save us again?’” Clement said. “Black men are not running to the Republican Party. What they’re doing is sitting at home, doing their own thing, creating their own ecosystems and initiatives. At this point, I have no hope for Democrats to speak to our needs.”
During the two-hour discussion, which grew boisterous at times, several said they were still deciding what to do in November’s election. Some gave Trump credit for at least not making false promises.
“He’s straightforward, there’s nothing else behind him, no ulterior motive — what you see is what you get,” said Travis Glasper, another Pontiac resident. “Give me that versus someone who’s going to lie to me.”
Still, no one in the group committed to voting for Trump. Kermit Williams, a former Pontiac city councilman who called the meeting and has helped convene several other “Brothers’ Brunches” across Detroit, said it’s more likely Black men will sit out the election.
“You have to understand, you elect Donald Trump — Donald Trump is partly responsible for the Central Park Five,” Williams told the group, citing the full-page ad Trump ran in 1989 calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty after five teenage boys of color were wrongly convicted in the rape and beating of a female jogger. Trump has refused to apologize for the ad, even after the five were exonerated.
“Now he’s got YouTube clips, he’s on TikTok and other things targeting Black men that don’t know the history from 30 years ago,” Williams said. “The problem is we don’t tell the true story.”
Some of Trump’s advertisements spotlight his ongoing criminal cases, suggesting he has been unfairly attacked by Democrats and the criminal justice system. Trump himself has claimed, without evidence, that his clashes with the courts have increased his popularity among Black voters, who have strong concerns about police misconduct and mass incarceration. Some Black male influencers on social media have made similar suggestions.
