The Power Of Her Voice And Vote: MSNBC’s New Special Spotlights Black Women’s Pivotal Role In Politics – Essence

MSNBC is set to continue an essential conversation that centers Black women’s influence in American politics with the upcoming special, “Black Women in America: The Road to 2024,” Hosted by Symone Sanders-Townsend, co-host of MSNBC’s The Weekend, and Melissa Murray, MSNBC legal analyst and constitutional law expert, this special takes a deep dive into the decisive role that Black women, with their rich history of political activism, will play in shaping the 2024 election.

Through in-depth interviews, Sanders-Townsend and Murray explore how Black women across the country are mobilizing, strategizing, and preparing to cast votes that will significantly impact the election. The hosts travel coast to coast, speaking with key voices such as actress Kerry Washington, Donna Brazile, Leah Daughtry, and Minyon Moore about the stakes in November and what it will take for candidates to win the support of Black women voters.

This special will premiere just weeks after Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first Black woman to secure the presidential nomination of a major political party.

A moving moment during the special comes from Caroline Wanga, CEO of ESSENCE Ventures, who captures the immense weight Black women carry in their personal and political lives. Wanga powerfully reflects on Black women’s unique role in their communities, describing their historical position as problem solvers, caretakers, and central figures. Yet, as Wanga explains, a profound exhaustion is setting in.

“We know that the Black woman has always had a different energy for carrying the weight of problem-solving… She’s the matriarch, she’s the center, she always the fixer… What’s most concerning is that she’s now questioning whether she can help this time,” Wanga shared during an interview. “Not because she doesn’t want to.She’s not sure if she’ll be able to, and she’s disappointed with herself…It’s heartbreaking. And I’m testing solutions left and right to try to give her optimism about influencing the future she wants because she’s worried about if this 21st brick in her bag will be the one that breaks her,” she shared.

The special also contextualizes these reflections within a larger narrative of systemic challenges Black women continue to face. Whether it’s in the political arena or their personal lives, the struggle for equity and recognition persists. This is a battle that Sanders-Townsend has experienced firsthand in her career as a political strategist, particularly in her fomer role as a senior advisor and spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris.

The special follows MSNBC’s earlier February 2024 program, “Black Men in America: The Road to 2024,” which focused on the role of Black men in shaping the election. This time, the emphasis is on the backbone of political movements in America: black women.

The upcoming special will delve into Black women’s political engagement, examining the emotional and cultural labor they undertake in this crucial arena. This narrative positions them not just as voters but as pivotal architects shaping the future of American democracy. It’s undoubtedly timely, with only about a month until Election Day.

 “Black Men in America: The Road to 2024 “airs Sunday, September 29, at 9 p.m.ET on MSNBC and can be streamed on Peacock.