Undecided Jamaicans in diaspora await convention speech to decide on Harris

As the Kamala Harris campaign rolls towards the Democratic National Committee (DNC) convention in Chicago next week, where she will formally accept the nomination for president of the United States (US), many Jamaicans in the diaspora have adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards supporting her bid.

While there has been a groundswell of support from Jamaicans in the US for the Harris campaign, with community leaders saying they have not seen such enthusiasm for a candidate since the candidacy of former president Barack Obama, others are awaiting her speech at the DNC convention, which takes place August 19 to August 22, before giving their full support

Dr Michael Duncan told The Gleaner that, although he is leaning towards supporting her campaign, he wants to see the policies she will lay out during her convention speech.

“I have not committed fully to supporting her campaign. For me, I want to hear what she has to say about some issues that I deem important. Immigration, support for the middle class, economic programmes to lift up those at the bottom of the economic ladder and resources for schools in our communities,” he said.

Duncan further stated that he would like her to address, in her convention speech, ways to lift up young black men so that they can move into the middle class, create wealth and support a family.

“Too often we hear elected politicians pay lip service to our community and do not follow through on their promises,” he said.

Duncan, who indicated he was a registered Democratic, said no one should take his vote for granted.

“It is time that issues confronting our communities are addressed in a concrete way and that is what I want to hear from her during her convention acceptance speech,” he said.

Chris Daley, who is a patent examiner and lives in Maryland, told The Gleaner he wants to hear policy positions from Harris, the current US vice president, during her convention speech.

“I am a registered independent and I have not made a decision on whether or not I am voting for her because I want to hear her policy positions during her acceptance speech,” he said.

Daley said the fact that the vice president is a woman with Jamaican roots was not enough to make him go out and vote for Harris.

“You have to earn my vote. Voting, that I take very seriously and policy positions matter to me,” he said. “I vote more than on persona.”

Blane Studdart, businessman and community activist in the Philadelphia area, said he also has not made a decision on whether he would vote for Harris.

“I am leaning towards voting for her, but I want to hear her policy positions on several areas,” he said.

He listed such areas as immigration, job training for young black men, education and security.

“There are more than half a million jobs available right now in the construction industry which are going unfulfilled because our young men are not being educated and trained for these jobs,” he said.

According to Studdart, in her convention speech he wants to hear Harris set out policy positions that will benefit the middle class, create jobs, focus on education for young people and lift up those at the bottom of the economic ladder.

He said everyone has to go to college but education is necessary to fill several jobs in the marketplace right now.

Studdart also said he was hoping to see her move more towards the political centre where the majority of Americans reside.

Sunvil Mitchell said he too has not made up his mind on Harris and he is awaiting her convention address.

“I would like to hear specific policy proposals that are going to lift up the middle class and allow them to earn a decent living,” he said.

He said, even though she has Jamaicans roots like himself, he wants to hear how she proposes to move the country forward, if she becomes president.

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