At the recently concluded BlackStars Experience Summit, Derrick Johnson, President of the NAACP, addressed the deeper implications of the U.S. elections, emphasizing cultural insecurities and economic divides shaping today’s voter behavior.
Johnson, who served as the keynote speaker for the multi-day BlackStars Experience, highlighted the election’s critical role in defining the path forward for African Americans and the African diaspora, warning of an underlying trend towards nostalgia-driven policies that could pull the country back toward regressive ideals rather than moving forward.
Johnson expressed frustration over the impact of cultural insecurities on voter priorities. Rather than focusing on public policies, many Americans voted based on emotional triggers, he argued, driven by a fear of change. The core issue, he said, wasn’t specific policies, but a pervasive anxiety about the evolving demographic and cultural landscape.
Johnson described this election as a reaction to demographic shifts, with the African American median age at 32 and the Latino community at 28, while the median age of white Americans stands at 44. This generational disparity, according to Johnson, creates a growing labor gap, necessitating continued immigration to fill the workforce—a reality some voters view with apprehension.
Highlighting voter challenges, Johnson pointed to the decline of civic education and local news, which leave many unaware of governmental processes and uninformed about the role of local elected officials.
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For younger voters, many of whom receive news from unregulated social media platforms, misinformation can easily shape their views. “Social media allows both experts and amateurs the same platform,” he noted, explaining how the reach of influencers, often lacking reliable information, can far surpass that of traditional news outlets.
Johnson emphasized the need to adapt the NAACP’s approach to communication. Under his leadership, the organization has shifted to platforms where younger audiences engage, building a digital content strategy aimed at collaborating with influencers to deliver crucial information. He acknowledged the gap in social media regulation, where platforms can spread misinformation without accountability. This lack of oversight, he explained, presents a challenge not only for public understanding but also for U.S. security, with foreign entities potentially spreading divisive content to destabilize the American workforce.
Turning to economic concerns, Johnson underscored the threat of policy changes aimed at dismantling federal agencies such as the Department of Education and Environmental Protection Agency. Such moves, he warned, could severely impact Black communities by eroding protections and limiting access to resources. “The business backbone in this country has always been government,” he said, explaining how successful American companies, from tech to logistics, have relied on government-funded infrastructure and programs to thrive. Proposed budget cuts and regulatory rollbacks would shift economic benefits toward the wealthiest Americans while erasing decades of progress in education, labor, and environmental protections.
Johnson also addressed the need for Black communities to advocate for fairer allocation of public pension funds, which often support major development projects across the U.S. and internationally. These funds, he noted, are increasingly invested in global markets, including in Africa, where sovereign wealth funds and foreign investors compete for influence. Johnson highlighted the continent’s natural resources as essential to global industries, like tech, that depend on minerals sourced from African nations.
However, he expressed concern that these investments rarely benefit local communities, with foreign powers, such as China, gaining control over African resources without fair returns to the continent.
In navigating these challenges, Johnson called for unity and active participation, urging African Americans to understand the stakes at both national and local levels. Emphasizing economic empowerment and policy literacy, he concluded, “If we don’t engage, we risk having others decide our future.”
As the NAACP strategizes on tackling both domestic and international issues, Johnson’s message was clear: the African American community, and the broader African diaspora, must unite to shape a fairer, more inclusive economic future—one that builds on cultural diversity and the power of informed advocacy.
