MSNBC’s Symone Sanders-Townsend Gets Candid About Voting This Year

“Politics are occurring round us each single day, whether or not we take part or not. It’s political to have the ability to go to a physician when you want to and get the care you want at an inexpensive value. It’s political to have a great faculty in your neighborhood. It might not be partisan, however it’s, the truth is, politics,” MSNBC The Weekend co-host Symone Sanders-Townsend tells EBONY when requested to share her ideas on the entire “I’m not into politics” conversations that many have. On Tuesday, April 2, extra Individuals will go to the polls to pick their candidates for America’s highest workplaces, so political conversations are warranted.

Since she was a younger woman, the Nebraska native has been within the political world and the way points are communicated to us as residents. Beginning out as a member of her native Ladies, Inc. chapter, Sanders-Townsend labored to change into a political strategist for Bernie Sanders’ marketing campaign in 2020 after which for the White Home. It was the understanding that the individuals behind the candidates are sometimes essentially the most highly effective, which she finally wished to change into. So, she did. 

Now, she’s bringing us hard-hitting—and generally hard-to-understand—points along with her MSNBC present. A part of a trio alongside Alicia Mendendez and Michael Steele, the collection delves deeper into the subjects and headlines of the week whereas making them extra accessible for the on a regular basis particular person to grasp.

Like 2008, when America elected Barack Obama, its first Black president, the 12 months 2024 will likely be probably the most consequential elections of our lifetime. This 12 months, the world is dealing with a variety of pivotal points: world wars are occurring, girls’s reproductive well being rights are being stripped away, and a lot extra. 

EBONY sat down with Sanders-Townsend, the place she broke down a few of the key subjects to search for through the upcoming elections, the affect Black voters may have and the way we could be higher knowledgeable about numerous candidates’ views and stances. 

EBONY: Your MSNBC present, The Weekend, is receiving nice critiques so far. How does it really feel to be part of such a dynamic solid and produce this contemporary perspective to robust subjects?

Symone Sanders-Townsend: What I get pleasure from about this present is the dialog. We’re serving to set the tone for the conversations about essentially the most consequential issues occurring in our nation: the world, authorized, and politics. We cowl all of it. We’re three hosts with three completely different views and life experiences, and we carry that to the desk. We could not all the time agree, however we’re a spot the place you’ll be able to dig deeper into points from the week prior and sit up for a brand new week.

How do you assume the present campaigns are going so far as the problems they’re presenting to the American individuals? 

The 12 months 2024 could be very completely different. There’s this notion that Black voters don’t care concerning the economic system, however that’s not true. Should you take a look at the current polling, Black voters very a lot care concerning the economic system and that’s at subject. The suburbs of locations like Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Charlotte and Phoenix are going to find out this election. Black individuals dwell in these suburbs and Black girls are main nearly all of households. 

Reproductive well being for ladies—Black girls particularly— goes to be essential. Additionally, how these campaigns resolve to speak about democracy will make a distinction. These are issues that may resonate. This will likely be a turnout election and the margins are going to matter. Each member of the Home of Representatives is up for re-election, and management of the Senate is on the road. All of that is occurring whereas a candidate is actively in court docket practically on daily basis. That is really unprecedented. 

There’s all the time been this notion in our communities that our vote doesn’t rely, so we select to not go to the polls. Might you break down the affect and penalties of us selecting to not vote?

I’m not shocked when individuals say that their vote received’t rely. However your participation does change issues. When individuals say they don’t like politics, what they’re actually saying is that they don’t like partisanship within the identify of siding with Democrats or Republicans. 

I take into consideration the Tyree Nichols case. The 12 months earlier than he was brutally crushed and killed, there was a race for district lawyer in Memphis. The native and nationwide NAACP banded collectively to get voters to the ballot, and so they have been capable of elect the present district lawyer, who finally charged these officers who have been liable for Nichols’ demise. That was all about elections. It’s the individuals who you choose, whether or not on the native or nationwide stage. These elections matter and can have an effect on us, whether or not we take part or not.

Many citizens simply don’t perceive the problems at hand and even a few of the wording being introduced. The place can we change into higher knowledgeable and break down key points, particularly as Black voters?

After all, you’ll be able to tune in to The Weekend. We’re breaking it down and making it extra accessible. You may get our e-newsletter as effectively. However there’s additionally this nice group referred to as The League of Ladies Voters, and so they go to nice lengths to place collectively election guides that break down each candidate and the place they stand on the problems. They make it very straightforward. Don’t be afraid to Google and look issues up and even ask questions. You need to diversify the place you get your information and do analysis for your self since you are finally the one who has to examine a field ultimately.

You’ll quickly be attending the White Home Correspondent’s dinner. What are you most wanting ahead to at this 12 months’s dinner, and might you give perception of what occurs on the occasion?

The White Home Correspondents’ Dinner is a fundraiser for the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation scholarship program. The affiliation, which is made up of all of the correspondents who cowl the White Home Beat, places on the dinner. Eugene Daniels of POLITICO will likely be our incoming president and the affiliation’s first Black president. So, he’ll step into historical past on the finish of the dinner. However we come collectively in assist of journalists and the free press. We additionally take time to honor journalists who’ve misplaced their lives or freedom within the identify of informing individuals of the information world wide. We primarily elevate a glass to and rejoice the work of the reporters and journalists who maintain energy to account—the Fourth Property.