Stanley Fritz is a writer and founder of the Let’s Not Be Trash newsletter which shares perspectives of a Black man unlearning patriarchy. He has been advancing progressive policies on the state and federal levels for over a decade. In acknowledging this dynamic between the Democratic Party and Black men, Fritz honors the concerns of Black men who have been boxed out of political participation but is concerned about pandering versus authentic engagement. “The Harris team hasn’t done the research and deep investment needed to prioritize Black men,” Fritz says. A set of policy proposals like Harris’ plan is an important first step but going beyond buzzwords and digging into issues that affect the majority of Black men, like grants instead of loans, minimum wage, and homelessness, is key. Beyond the content of the message, Fritz also worries that the rollout wasn’t as intentional as it should have been. The policy platform was shared on Harris’ social media platforms and to the website, but Fritz doesn’t believe Black men who are already jaded are checking those spaces. “If Democrats are not going into spaces like streaming, gaming, and anime to speak to Black men’s concerns but Republicans are, then we’re going to lose people,” he cautions. “Why isn’t the campaign working more closely with messengers like Plies or the Dad Gang,” he wondered aloud. The Harris campaign recently sat down with Charlemagne tha God, perhaps a signal of this changing strategy.
