In all the commotion surrounding the 2016 U.S. presidential primaries, another smaller but important U.S. election made news but was lost among the endless commentary on both the Democratic and Republican nominating contests. DeRay Mckesson, a prominent activist in the Black Lives Matter movement, is running for mayor of Baltimore. This is a big deal for a city that spent much of last year with its racial tensions on national display following the death of Freddie Gray.
Gray’s death, caused by a severe spinal cord injury he sustained while in police custody, was a catalyst for protests in Baltimore. His death followed similar incidents nationwide, bringing attention to police brutality against people of color.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who also held the position at the time of the incident, decided not to run for reelection after taking criticisms from both sides: some said she did not do enough to stop the rioting that occurred, while others said she hid from the problem, choosing not to act until after Gray had already died.
Mckesson, who became well known — particularly on Twitter, where he boasts more than 300,000 followers — after protests in Ferguson, Missouri, is originally from Baltimore. He has traveled around the country, organizing demonstrations and capturing mainstream attention, including meeting with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and appearing on several news programs. Most recently, Mckesson helped launch Campaign Zero, a platform that lays out clear steps to stopping police brutality.
The race for Baltimore mayor was already crowded, but within 24 hours of Mckesson announcing his campaign, around 700 people donated nearly $40,000, raising more than 24 of the 29 candidates in the race, NPR reported. It will be interesting to see what happens, but regardless of the outcome, this is the first time a major figure in the Black Lives Matter movement has directly entered a political race.
Mckesson’s entry into the race shows the strength the Black Lives Matter movement has accumulated in the past few years despite intense backlash. It has made progress in frustratingly slow increments, but progress nonetheless.
A 2015 poll by Gallup showed that confidence in police is at a 22-year low, and another poll shows Americans are more likely to be critical of the way people of color are treated than they have been in the past.
Granted, these polls seem to say, “White people are finally acknowledging what people of color have always known.” Recognizing a problem does not change it — it takes conscious effort to solve. And getting people to help dismantle their privilege after they’ve acknowledged it is another beast entirely.
For all of the movement’s progress, there is still strong opposition to it. After Mckesson announced his campaign, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke referred to him as a “professional riot-starter.”
But progress is progress. If McKesson were elected mayor, it would add even more legitimacy and power to the movement in a city that desperately needs it. Black Lives Matter continues to grow in prominence and support — take the release of Beyoncé’s new music video for “Formation,” for one.
The striking scenes of Beyoncé drowning atop a New Orleans police car and a young black boy in a hoodie dancing in front of armed police speak to the history and necessity of the movement.
But of course it’s historic and necessary — I’m only observing from an outside viewpoint. Take my opinions with a grain of salt. I’m white. This issue isn’t mine.
Bleating out feeble words of allyship doesn’t deserve a pat on the head. So take your own time, do your own research and pay attention to the mayoral race in Baltimore. Let the people who need to do the talking speak.
