The elites who run the Democratic Party have been slow learners. For years, the Party has relied on targeting swing states and running centrist, mainly white candidates. It has been playing it safe for too long, avoiding confrontation, losing credibility, and squandering potential key victories. African Americans, the most loyal of the Democratic base, have stood beside Democrats through thick and thin. However, enduring all the Trump trauma, our patience has worn thinner.

In the period after slavery and before Reconstruction could consolidate true Black political power, people of African descent were subjected to vile conditions and brutal violence. We struggled to find the silver lining in the Emancipation Proclamation. Back then, we looked to the federal government for intervention and relief. The response was feeble and inconsistent. So was the political party we aligned with. If it had been strong and consistent, Black folks probably wouldn’t be facing a similar situation in 2026. We’re still waiting for the federal government to protect our civil and human rights unconditionally. And we’re still waiting for our political party of choice.

We went from the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln to the Democratic Party of Franklin Roosevelt. Black folks thought they were getting a New Deal but got a No Deal instead. We went “from the skillet into the frying pan.” We joined the Party, believing our enthusiasm and unwavering commitment would prove we were worth the fight. There were some notable gains, though they have proved to be temporary, like the Voting Rights Act. In 2026, our right to vote is on the same wobbly ground as it was in 1956.

Black women have been the backbone of the Democratic Party; we have saved the Party at critical times and have little to show for it. In the last presidential election, we showed up 90% strong. The Democratic elites have ignored criticism of their racial and gender preferences, and now it’s coming to a head.

Led by Black women, Black voters, elected officials, Latino allies, and candidates are shaking up the Democratic Party. They are looking for fighters who will fight with them. The Party’s counter to the extreme right, whether it was the Tea Party or the MAGA monsters, has been pathetic and ineffective. The recent victories of progressive and democratic socialist candidates have turned the Party on its heels.

In 2022, a record number of Black women ran for seats in the U.S. House, Senate, and governor. The most visible was Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of Georgia for the second time and narrowly lost to Brian Kemp. Many Black voters and political analysts felt her loss lay at the feet of her own party. At that time, five other Black women had won their primaries but were overlooked by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which failed to help turn those wins into victories. These candidates competed in heavily Republican districts, yet they exceeded expectations by reclaiming seats Democrats had not held in years.

Black and qualified, these female candidates have proved they can run effective campaigns and raise big dollars. Val Demings raised $72 million in her race against Marco Rubio, who raised a mere $47 million. These candidates don’t get the early institutional and financial boost from the Party. Some end up losing by a few percentage points, which makes the loss even more frustrating. The Party’s biased lens doesn’t put these capable women on the DCCC’s coveted “Red to Blue” lists to receive priority attention; they get put on the “Shit” list.

To assess the ways the Democratic Party can change course, we must confront cases such as Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s decision to run in a gerrymandered district historically represented by Black officials. When an organization lacks a strategy and strays from its North Star, divisive individualism thrives, and the racism is illuminated.

This is not just about active support for candidates. State and local Democratic committees have long complained about a lack of funds to run robust, grassroots voter registration and Get Out The Vote campaigns. Black and Latino media outlets are often overlooked for campaign dollars. Midterm elections are projected to bring in a record $12 billion for political advertising alone. We deserve an equitable piece of the action.

The Democratic bureaucrats should not fear the Angie Nixons and Keisha Lance Bottoms of the Party. Nor should it attempt to isolate the likes of Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. These women are bringing a fighting spirit and focus to a working-class agenda that has been lost over the years.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley believes that fascism isn’t on the rise, “we’re actively living it right now.” The coming weeks will be critical for the country’s future. They will determine whether the Democratic Party can unify internally and provide the bold, unapologetic leadership this political moment demands. It’s time for the Party to prove that it has what it takes to transform a corrupt and ineffective government into one that meets the needs of its people in a dignified and human way.