How To Balance Political Discourse and Still Keep Your Cool

Tuesday, April 2, 2024, was another big day at the polls, with voters in states like New York, Wisconsin, Arkansas and others casting their votes in the presidential primary election.   While many Black Americans have historically found alignment within the Democratic party, some voters choose to support a Republican candidate. For some across our community, being part of the Republican party as a Black American is a move that makes you a supporter of the party’s conservative—and seemingly racist—views. It can lead to heated arguments between family, friends and that grocery bagger you just found out voted Republican.  It’s interesting to note that before the 1930s, Black adults were just as likely to support the Republican party as the Democratic Party. According to the Pew Research Center, this shift began later that decade. It continued to grow after President Harry S. Truman issued an executive order to desegregate the U.S. military in 1948, along with the passage of the Civil Rights Act under Democratic President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Both presidents were Democrats. “In an era where political discourse can often become a minefield, being a Black Republican may come with complexities, especially when engaging in conversations,” shares Justin Jones-Fosu, ...