Jackson Free Press

JACKSON — It’s been over 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream.”

Ever since Dr. King’s call, our nation has inched forward with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act. But despite this progress, too much of Dr. King’s dream is still just that, a dream.

In 2016, African Americans are almost three times more likely to live in poverty than white Americans. We have a median household income that is $24,000 less than the median household income for white Americans. We have an unemployment rate that is double the white unemployment rate. And we are almost three times more likely than whites to be denied a mortgage.

It’s painful to acknowledge, but systemic racial inequities are as real as ever. From Flint to Baltimore, and from Trayvon Martin to Sandra Bland, today’s America is simply not the same land of opportunity for everyone. That’s why it has never been more important for our nation to have a strong leader who can and will lead this country on a path towards greater equality.

I believe Hillary Clinton will be that leader. She understands the complexities of race issues in this country and has a lifetime record of breaking down barriers that hold people back—especially people of color. From working for Marian Wright Edelman at the Children’s Defense Fund in South Carolina to give a voice to teenagers who were being incarcerated in adult jails or going undercover in Alabama to expose segregated academies—Hillary Clinton has dedicated her life to fighting social injustice and working to make people’s lives better.

Some candidates have been talking about the problems facing African Americans for 40 days, but Hillary has been taking action for 40 years. If young people across this state really want a revolution, they shouldn’t choose the candidate who’s told them what they want to hear. They should look at their records, and pick the person with a record of making change happen. That’s why I’m standing with her.

Hillary has taken on challenges like reducing gun violence, the leading cause of death young African American men (and more deadly than the next nine causes of death combined). Hillary has been a long-time advocate for gun-control legislation, whereas Sen. Sanders has a long track record of siding with the NRA on pro-gun laws. He voted to give firearms manufacturers sweeping immunity from prosecution, and even helped create the loophole that allowed a murderer in Charleston to kill nine innocent worshipers at a church bible study group.

She has taken on issues within our criminal-justice system, which is especially important here in Mississippi, where we have the fifth highest incarceration rate in the nation. In this state, African Americans represent just 37 percent of the total state population but make up 61 percent of the incarcerated. In the very first campaign speech she gave, Hillary Clinton pointed to statistics like these, and rightly called our justice system “out of balance.” She is advocating for sweeping reforms that would cut down on excessive incarceration and help law enforcement better reflect the communities they serve.

And finally, Hillary has taken on the critical issue of voting rights at a time when Mississippi’s passage of a 2011 Voter ID law has made it harder than ever for African Americans to assert their political voice. She has pledged to restore the crucial provisions of the Voting Rights Act, implement universal, automatic voter registration for eligible 18-year-olds, and set a new national standard that would allow early voting to begin 20 days or more before an election.

As you can see, Hillary Clinton is more than just talk—she is a candidate of action who we can trust to help families in Mississippi and across the nation see greater opportunity. Recently, in Harlem, as part of her “Breaking Every Barrier” agenda, she laid out her plan end the school-to-prison pipeline by investing $2 billion to support school districts in reforming their disciplinary practices and dramatically expanding behavioral support for students. This is one of many ways she will build ladders of opportunity for the next generation of African Americans.

Hillary Clinton will build on President Obama’s legacy because she shares his fundamental belief that we all deserve an equal opportunity to achieve the American dream. She is my choice for the Democratic nomination, and I believe she is our best hope for this country’s future.