We didn’t take Trump seriously enough during his first presidential run in 2016…and he won. In his second term, it’s imperative to take his remarks seriously about running for president a third time. In a recent interview with NBC News, he repeatedly said he is considering seeking a third term in office, stating that "there are methods" to achieve this despite the constitutional two-term limit. This statement has ignited bipartisan criticism and legal debates, as the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibits any individual from being elected to the presidency more than twice. 

Why This Should Matter: Black progress has always hinged on Democratic stability. From Reconstruction to civil rights to voting access, our wins have come through laws, elections, and advocacy. If presidential term limits can be sidestepped, imagine what else could be rewritten or erased. Our freedom is tied to the strength of democratic norms. 

​In a decisive move, Louisiana voters rejected all four proposed constitutional amendments during the March 29, 2025, election, each by margins exceeding 60%. These amendments, championed by Republican Governor Jeff Landry, encompassed significant changes to the state's tax and budget policies, the judicial system, and the prosecution of juveniles as adults. The defeat of these measures reflects a rare consensus among voters across the political spectrum, signaling potential challenges for Governor Landry's legislative agenda moving forward. ​

Why This Should Matter To You: One of the proposed amendments would’ve made it easier to prosecute minors as adults—a policy that disproportionately affects Black children, who are already more likely to be arrested, charged harshly, and pushed into the school-to-prison pipeline. The fact that voters shut this down is a powerful rejection of criminalizing our youth.

In a landmark victory, Democrat-backed Judge Susan Crawford secured a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, overcoming significant financial opposition from billionaire Elon Musk. Musk invested over $20 million in support of conservative candidate Brad Schimel, employing tactics such as offering $1 million checks to voters who signed petitions against "activist judges." Despite these efforts, Crawford's win maintains the court's 4-3 liberal majority, positioning it to influence critical decisions on issues like abortion rights and electoral redistricting in the state.

Why This Should Matter To You: The Wisconsin Supreme Court isn’t just a state-level institution—it can be a bellwether for the national judicial climate. Courts like this one often make critical decisions around voting rights, gerrymandering, police accountability, and abortion access—all of which disproportionately affect Black communities.

Wisconsin is a swing state, and its courts often weigh in on election laws, like voter ID requirements and district maps, that directly impact Black voter turnout and representation. Keeping the court’s liberal majority helps preserve more equitable access to the ballot.

​In a historic demonstration of endurance and political conviction, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) delivered a marathon speech lasting 25 hours and 5 minutes on the Senate floor, surpassing the previous record set in 1957. Beginning at 7 p.m. on March 31, 2025, and concluding after 8 p.m. the following day, Booker's address was a vehement protest against President Donald Trump's policies and the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Throughout his speech, Booker criticized proposed cuts to social programs, including Social Security and Medicaid, and expressed concerns over the administration's approach to immigration and foreign policy. This unprecedented oration disrupted Senate proceedings and galvanized public attention, symbolizing a renewed vigor within the Democratic opposition.

Why This Should Matter to You: In his speech, Booker reportedly uplifted stories of people affected by housing instability, police violence, and immigration crackdowns. He intentionally used his platform to name the struggles of Black and Brown folks—putting our realities on the official Senate record. This move could also slow down the rapid clip at which the Trump administration is implementing harmful policies. The filibuster bought time—time for negotiations, time for activists to apply pressure, and time to stop policies that could hurt us. Legislative delay is sometimes the only tool available to protect vulnerable communities.

​In a significant legal development, a federal judge has dismissed the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams with prejudice, effectively preventing the Department of Justice (DOJ) from refiling the charges. Under President Donald Trump, the DOJ initially sought to dismiss the case without prejudice, preserving the option to refile charges in the future. However, U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho criticized this approach, asserting that it could unduly influence Mayor Adams' governance by leaving the threat of prosecution hanging over him. The judge's decision underscores concerns about potential political motivations within the DOJ's case handling.

Why This Should Matter To You: This affects how Black leadership is perceived. You know the phrase all skin folk ain’t kinfolk? Yeah, outside parties often have a hard time accurately interpreting the adage, and in turn, look at Black people in power as a monolith. 

When Black public figures are constantly framed as corrupt, even without conviction, it feeds a narrative used to discredit our leadership across the board. This case being dropped with prejudice is a rare legal acknowledgment that due process matters and that vague accusations alone shouldn't derail Black political power. This move also sets a dangerous precedent for future federal cases, in which, despite overwhelming evidence, political favors will win out over true justice. Adams, a Trump loyalist, has been reportedly openly and egregiously negligent in his role – yet and still, he got off. This ruling could make it harder for the DOJ—or any administration—to float politically motivated investigations without actual follow-through. That helps protect Adams and future Black candidates and officeholders from “investigate now, accuse later” tactics.

​In a significant restructuring move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has initiated mass layoffs, affecting approximately 10,000 employees across various agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This action is part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plan to streamline the department's operations, aiming to reduce the workforce by nearly a quarter and achieve annual savings of $1.8 billion. The layoffs have raised concerns among public health experts and lawmakers about potential impacts on critical services such as disease prevention, medical research, and food safety regulation.

Why This Should Matter To You: The federal government is one of the country's largest employers of Black professionals. Cutting nearly 10,000 jobs means thousands of families—many of them Black and middle class—will lose income, stability, and generational wealth opportunities. 

Also, not to mention, we’re still healing from a pandemic that exposed how deeply unequal our healthcare system is, particularly for Black people. Weakening HHS now puts us all at greater risk, especially frontline communities that can’t afford another disaster with no safety net.

​In a surprising policy shift, President Donald Trump announced on March 21, 2025, that the management of the federal student loan portfolio would be transferred from the Department of Education to the Small Business Administration (SBA). This decision came just one day after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt assured reporters that the Department of Education would continue to manage student loans and Pell Grants. The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle the Department of Education, a process initiated by an executive order signed on March 20, 2025. The SBA, led by Administrator Kelly Loeffler, is set to oversee the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, a significant expansion of its traditional role. This transition has raised concerns among education experts and lawmakers about potential disruptions to student loan services and the legality of such a move without congressional approval.

Why This Should Matter to You: Black students take on more student debt on average than any other group, and we struggle to pay it off at higher rates. Transferring the loan system from the Department of Education to the SBA—a department with no experience in managing education debt—could lead to confusion, delays, and mismanagement that hit us hardest.

Programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-driven repayment plans were built into the Education Department’s framework. Moving loans to the SBA could mean starting from scratch or losing these programs altogether, which is a direct threat to Black teachers, social workers, healthcare workers, and others who rely on forgiveness to survive.