By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media
OPINION (CBM) – As the 2024 Presidential election approaches, Black Californians face a critical moment that could drastically alter their future. Project 2025, a sweeping plan crafted by the conservative Heritage Foundation, is intended to guide a potential Trump administration if he returns to office. This manifesto, created by former Trump officials, presents a clear and present danger to the rights and freedoms that many have come to rely on.
The Heritage Foundation touts Project 2025 as a policy agenda aimed at reducing government intervention and returning to what it calls “traditional values.” It advocates eliminating federal oversight across various sectors, promising greater efficiency and personal freedom.
However, these policy changes could have devastating consequences for Black Californians.
One of the most alarming aspects of Project 2025 is its call to eliminate the Department of Education. Such a move would likely result in severe cuts to funding for California’s public schools, disproportionately affecting Black and minority communities. These budget cuts would widen educational disparities, further limiting opportunities for Black students to succeed.
For nearly three decades, Proposition 209 has restricted public institutions from considering race, sex, or ethnicity in employment and education. Then, last year, the Supreme Court’s ban of Affirmative Action further constrained those programs designed to create opportunities for Blacks and other minorities. By cutting federal support, Project 2025 would undermine diversity initiatives, decreasing access to employment and contracting opportunities and making it even harder for universities to support minority students even though Black student enrollment and graduation rates remain lowest in California’s higher education institutions – public and private combined.
The rollback of student debt relief efforts, another key element of Project 2025, would reverse gains made under the Biden administration. These relief efforts have wiped out $138 billion in student loans. Reversing them would have a particularly harsh impact on Black Californians, many of whom continue to struggle under the weight of student debt.
Project 2025’s push for deregulation threatens to weaken employment protections, especially in a state already limited by Prop 209. Without strong federal oversight, the enforcement of California laws like the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) which provides critical protections against workplace discrimination based on race, gender, and disability, could falter, reducing job opportunities for Black Californians making it harder for Black individuals to advance in their careers and achieve economic stability.
Project 2025 also revives “tough on crime” policies reminiscent of the War on Drugs, which disproportionately targeted Black communities. Increased policing and harsher sentencing guidelines could lead to higher incarceration rates among Black Californians, perpetuating cycles of poverty and disenfranchisement.
Additionally, Project 2025’s stance on election integrity, including stricter voter ID laws and reduced access to early voting, could suppress Black voter turnout and undermine some of the nation-leading gains California has made to enfranchise all state residents. In parts of the state with significant Black populations, these measures could diminish political influence, further marginalizing these communities.
Project 2025 would gut the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to create millions of climate-friendly jobs. The plan also seeks to dismantle regulations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This would disproportionately impact low-income Black Californians, who are more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards and suffer more health consequences than other racial groups.
The proposed agenda presses for a near-total eradication of reproductive rights, including eliminating the term “abortion” from federal regulations, defunding providers who offer reproductive care, and criminalizing the abortion pill. Black women, who already face higher risks of pregnancy-related complications, would be particularly vulnerable under such policies.
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has criticized Project 2025 warning, “This plan is a step backwards for our country. It threatens to undo the progress we’ve made in ensuring that every American, regardless of their race or background, has a fair shot at success. Black communities, in particular, stand to lose the most.”
The threat of authoritarianism looms large with a second Trump term. Trump has openly declared his intent to act as a dictator from day one and has suggested terminating parts of the U.S. Constitution. His previous term was marked by divisive rhetoric aimed at minority communities, and his return to power could further erode civil rights protections.
For Black Californians relying on Medi-Cal, Trump’s plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act could severely limit access to healthcare and defund some of the critical expansions in Medi-Cal coverage that California has made over the last year.
Trump’s hardline criticisms of the press and past intolerance of peaceful protest raises concerns about freedom of expression. For Black activists and organizations advocating for racial justice in California, this could mean increased surveillance, harassment, and legal challenges. Activists involved in movements like Black Lives Matter could face heightened scrutiny and repression.
Harris’s concerns are echoed by her Vice-Presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. He expressed his alarm, stating that Trump is fully aware of Project 2025’s implications. “Don’t believe him when he plays dumb,” Waltz said. “He knows exactly what Project 2025 will do to restrict our freedom.”
For Black Californians, the stakes have never been higher. Project 2025, coupled with an authoritarian Trump presidency, threatens to reverse decades of progress in civil rights, economic inclusion, healthcare, education, and environmental justice.
At this critical juncture in American politics, remaining actively engaged in the political process is crucial. Voting, advocacy, and community organization are essential to resisting the threats posed by Project 2025 policies to hard-won gains in civil rights, economic advancement and social justice. The collective action of Black Californians and their allies will be vital to preserving progress and securing a future where equality and justice prevail.
