Black business leaders are trying to figure out why Vice President Kamala Harris lost the presidential election and how they should approach the incoming administration of Donald Trump.
“It does mean change. That’s what voters want and that’s what they think President Trump represents,” said co-chair Charles Phillips. black economic alliance He is also the co-founder of Recognize.
“What contributed to Trump’s victory is that people are tired of cultural battles…People are more interested in food and economic issues,” he said in an interview with CNBC.
According to NBC News, President Trump economic policy That was a key reason he gained support from black voters in battleground states such as North Carolina and Wisconsin.
But Gathering Spot co-founder and CEO Ryan Wilson believes Harris’ race and gender were the main reasons for her loss.
“I don’t know any other way to discuss it other than to point out America’s archenemies, racism and sexism, and we have to continue to fight that,” Wilson told CNBC.
Democratic presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Jennifer Lopez attend a campaign rally in North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on October 31, 2024.
David Swanson | Reuters
Some Black business leaders turned to social media to react to the election results.
Blavity Co-founder Morgan DeBaun wrote to X that she is concerned about women and minority-owned businesses. “We are entering a political climate that looks like this: [diversity, equity and inclusion] Funds and things earmarked exclusively for black people or exclusively for women could be at risk. ”
Overall, it was a dramatic change from the emphatic support for Harris and the prospects for her administration that had been expressed online days before the election.
World Black Economic Forum CEO Alphonso David said he was disappointed with the results but encouraged by the turnout of black voters.
“As this situation settles, we, as advocates for economic equality, will continue to work to ensure that our nation reflects our stated principles of fairness, justice, and equality,” David told CNBC. .
Morgan DeBaun, co-founder and CEO of Blavity, speaks at the #HereWeAre Women In Tech event on Twitter at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Wednesday, January 10, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. I gave a lecture at , 2018.
Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images
But black business leaders are not a monolith, and some see Trump’s second term as an opportunity.
The National Black Business Alliance released a statement Thursday announcing it has mobilized 100 Black organizations to support the president-elect’s economic policies.
“Based on past experience, [Trump] Dr. Kenneth Harris, CEO of the National Business League, a member of NABB, said: non-partisanHowever, he cited the “momentum” under the first Trump administration.
“We have had tremendous success in terms of federal contracting opportunities…We have been able to work very closely with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the White House Executive Branch to support Black businesses.”
Economy over emotion. That’s the message from founder and CEO John Hope Bryant. operation hope Sent to members of the black business community.
“We have to focus on the bottom line: social justice in terms of the economy,” Bryant told CNBC.
“The color now is green. It’s really, really green. It’s not black, it’s not white, it’s not red, it’s not blue.”
That’s the message from Founder and CEO Angelina Darrisaw. executive coachwhich she plans to give to her customers.
“Making this a crisis really doesn’t help business. Focus instead on improving your skills and improving your service. Fear exists and I feel it myself. But it’s… It doesn’t move us forward.”
