Meet Lewis DeJan, who calls himself a "dinosaur apprentice" carpenter. Lewis helped create the concrete “You Are America” letters now installed on the exterior of the Obama Presidential Center Museum. He began his path in carpentry through the St. Paul Community Development Ministry and Pastor Kevin Anthony Ford, the grandson of Bishop Louis Henry Ford, the first African-American who had a highway named after him. Working on the first Black President of the United States' Presidential Center made it a full circle moment for him.
His ultimate message to young people looking at the letters is an affirmation from President Obama: "Yes, we can. We can do it. We've done it before."
.@MarkHamill stops by the White House Press Briefing:
“How many of you had Mark Hamill lead the Press Briefing on your bingo card? ... I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the president, the most legislative successful president in my lifetime.”
The performing arts are more than just sound and scene – they reflect who we are as Americans.
To the 2023 Kennedy Center Honorees, thank you for helping shape the very soul of our nation.
I read the Kamala Harris articles—and this is what I have to say about it.
To be a woman in the political spotlight is to be criticized. The tone of the article echos a sentiment that is tossed around in a sort of insider baseball— some people “don’t like the VP.” but when pressed for the most part their reasoning is her tone or demeanor.
They don’t like that she “tosses aside” questions about her qualifications or work ethic— but don’t acknowledge that those questions undermine both of those attributes.
Her speech, her clothes, her hair— everything about her will be criticized not only from the lens of the vice presidency, but from the lens of Black femininity and womanhood. A level that no man in politics— and certainly no vice president, has ever faced before.
I think about it, and In some deluded way I feel like I understand. What it’s like to have someone else define your successes in the public eye.
Last year, when I raised $2.2 million for abortion funds off the back of Matt Gaetz insults— I was amazed. Thrilled that people where finally listening to me, a young political strategist— but instead what I found was people defining me as “the girl who was body shamed by Matt Gaetz” instead of “the activist and strategist who helped thousands get healthcare access.”
To this day, despite advising campaigns, securing fundraising positions for major groups, having meeting with White House officials, coordinating with elected officials on policy and advocacy— my career is rarely defined by my own accolades, but rather the actions of the man who attacked me. His name often time comes before my own when I am introduced— and all the other work I’ve done is lost.
The Vice President I feel faces similar struggles. She is “Joe Biden’s running mate” and “a heartbeat from the Presidency.” Her position is often times defined by her proximity to Biden rather than her own political capabilities and qualifications. Yes, she is Joe Biden’s running mate —but she is also the former Senator from California who was known for her stellar performance in judiciary hearings, for celebrating the performance of gay marriage ceremonies when she was AG of CA.
She is not a “diversity hire” she was elected by the PEOPLE as Vice President of the United States.
If I was the Vice President, I would be exhausted. Tired of my career work and life goals being summed up into two or three sentences— and constantly having my position questioned and accolades overlooked.
She is facing unique criticism and spotlight that no one else has faced before—- allowing her grace when it may be too much does not mean we’re being soft on her. It means we’re allowing the VP to be human and not an emotions less robot like those who have held the seat before. It also means we’re acknowledging the systemic inequalities that made her election that much more important and vital. Mike Pence didn’t have to worry about his words with intense precision— because frankly not many people cared. But VP Harris is so heavily criticized her laugh, her hairstyle, and her outfits are subject to headlines and controversy. That is an incredibly heavy weight to carry.
I’ve met the VP. Twice. The first time she held my hands and told me she was proud of me. She implored me to continue my education and to keep fighting the good fight. The second time she welcomed me into her home and restated her pride and support. I’ve met a lot of politicians in my life—- she genuinely has been one of the kindest.
When I cast my vote in 2024, I will not be voting for just Joe Biden. I will be enthusiastically voting for Kamala Harris. Because frankly— she’s absolutely EARNED it.
I hope you do the same.
Kevin McCarthy's campaign is funded by the NRA and Big Pharma.
My campaign is a grassroots movement funded by small dollar contributions.
Can you please chip in a small dollar contribution to help me win this race? https://t.co/uLt2bqWeTX
👋🏾 I’m Marcus Flowers, the Army Vet & Democratic Nominee running to unseat Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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Trump is going to PRISON! The New York Times just revealed that the FBI seized a whopping 300 classified documents from Trump — including national security documents from the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the FBI. This is SERIOUS. His days as a free man are numbered…