On August 6, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first female and first woman of color to lead a major U.S. political party ticket. This moment marked a shift in the election dynamics from typical partisan struggles to a stark confrontation with White supremacist forces intent on preserving systemic dominance. The far right has worked diligently across political and social platforms since President Obama’s 2008 election to prevent another person of color from rising to national office.
In a striking remark at a gathering of Black journalists in Chicago on July 31, Donald Trump questioned Kamala Harris’s identity, asking, “When did Kamala become Black? She was always of Indian heritage, promoting that heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until recently, when she decided she wanted to be known as Black. So, what is she—Indian or Black?” Trump’s comments reflect his divisive approach to identity and underscore the challenges people of color face in the political sphere.
Historically, the Democratic Party has struggled to address the issue of race in America effectively, and it currently lacks a cohesive strategy to counter white supremacist narratives. Trump’s “businessman” persona embodies the caricature of the White-West mindset, treating the political arena as a personal stage for shock-comedy performances aimed at galvanizing a specific demographic.
Adding to this polarized climate, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post, recently withdrew his paper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris. This marked a departure from The Washington Post’s long-standing tradition of endorsing presidential candidates, spotlighting the complexities of media ownership and its impact on the supposed “freedom of the press.” Elon Musk has also shown his support for Trump, not only endorsing but financing and actively campaigning for him—a move unprecedented among corporate leaders of his scale. Meanwhile, other prominent figures have followed suit, including Robert F. Kennedy, who announced on August 23 that he would suspend his independent presidential campaign to support Trump, citing internal polling that indicated his candidacy would inadvertently aid Harris.
Beneath these high-profile moves, a coordinated effort is taking shape at every level of society. Nearly 100 lawsuits have already been filed across battleground states, seeking to influence the rules around how votes are cast and counted in anticipation of potential legal battles following Election Day.
I recently attended a screening of Borderland: The Line Within, a new documentary by Pamela Yates and Paco de Onís. The film reveals ICE’s ambitions toward mass deportations as part of a broader national strategy. To provide context, the Department of Homeland Security’s budget in 2023 was over $82 billion, with billions allocated to Customs and Border Protection, ICE, and USCIS. The job creation rhetoric frequently promoted by elected officials often masks the reality that many of these jobs predominantly benefit White Americans, especially in sectors like the Military-Industrial Complex, which rely heavily on public funding channeled into private corporations. Meanwhile, as Florida begins to rebuild post-Hurricane Milton, who will do the work? It will likely be immigrant laborers profiled as gang members by politicians. The need for labor is as pressing as ever — job openings in the U.S. stood at 8.04 million in August 2024 — underscoring the hollowness of the White-West’s anti-immigration rhetoric.
On a broader social level, the progressive agenda faces its own challenges. Recently, during jury duty, I was surprised to find that out of over 100 people, only a handful were involved in any form of community organization. A week later, I received my blood donor card, only to learn that just 3% of the eligible U.S. population donates blood. It seems many people are “busy” with personal pursuits, disconnected from broader societal needs. To counter white supremacism effectively, we must do more than just vote; civic engagement must be active and persistent. Voting is the baseline in democracy—not the endgame. Similarly, Kamala Harris received a remarkable wave of support — breaking financial records with $81 million raised in the 24-hour period following Biden’s July 22 announcement — yet democracy cannot be saved by financial support alone. It requires participation, personal accountability, and a willingness to think beyond your own situation. Where are the progressives taking action? Humanitarian gestures alone will not sustain democracy.
This is no longer a typical political election, but a profound clash between entrenched White-West power structures and a vision for a more inclusive, equitable democracy. Without a moral compass, the progressive movement has lost its direction in mobilizing against these anti-humanist and violent forces. The moment demands not just opposition but a proactive, inclusive movement grounded in real democracy, nonviolence, and true social justice.