Black Politics in the Hour of Chaos: Understanding Our Team and Agenda in the Age of Trumpism

In the first two hundred days of the second Trump administration, we have witnessed a catastrophic shift in the posture and priorities of the federal government. Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are now essentially illegal. The administration has created a list of forbidden terms, an Orwellian index of erasure that includes “Black,” “anti-racism,” “affirmative action,” “racial diversity,” “racial inequality,” and “racial justice” among others. This seismic policy turn is not a mere change in bureaucratic language; it is a deliberate dismantling of the moral and legislative scaffolding that Black America has fought to build for generations. Some of its impacts are immediate, others will seep like poison into the veins of our communities for years before their full damage is known.

Already the toll is staggering. In just the first six months of this administration, more than 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs. Considering that three in ten Black people live in households led by women, this single statistic forecasts a devastating rise in Black poverty in the years ahead. The blows have not been confined to the economic sphere. In August 2025, the president announced a federal takeover of Washington, D.C., with declared intentions to replicate the action in Chicago, Oakland, and Baltimore. The occupation of D.C. was punctuated by official White House social media posts displaying images of arrested Black men, arranged like trophies of conquest, evoking the grotesque triumphalism of slave catchers parading their captives.

It is in this hour of orchestrated chaos that we must define and embody a Black politics that is both shield and sword. Our politics must resist the erosion of our rights while advancing the power and security of our people. And it must begin with one unflinching understanding: race is a team sport. We win together or we lose together. What follows are seven essential pillars for building black politics in the age of Trumpism.

1. Secure Political Power Where We Already Have It

If race is a team sport, then elections are our championships, and in majority Black cities, we must refuse to let the opposing team wear our jersey. Local elections are not abstract contests in far-off capitals. They are the crucible where the issues that shape our daily lives are decided. Potholes, crime rates, property taxes, public transportation, sanitation schedules, zoning laws, and the quality of our children’s schools are all determined in city halls and county commissions. If our team does not hold the decision-making power in cities like New Orleans, Jackson, Detroit, Memphis, and Atlanta, then we have surrendered the scoreboard before the game even begins. Yielding these levers of governance, even to the most well-meaning liberal white, is a pathway to political power erasure. Representation matters, but so does ownership of the machinery of government.

Yet electing a Black mayor, council member, or district attorney is only the first quarter. The game is not won unless those officials are held to the work that must be done to address the systemic wounds in our communities. Job creation must be more than a campaign slogan. Recreational spaces for youth must be more than ribbon-cutting photo opportunities. Access to affordable health care services must extend beyond crisis care into preventative and mental health support. Housing protections must guard against predatory developers and displacement. Crime reduction must not mean mass incarceration but a thoughtful investment in safety and prevention. Every policy must bend toward improving the quality of life for the people who placed these leaders in office.

The path to this power is paved with voter participation. Every Black high school senior should be registered to vote before graduation not as an extracurricular option but as a requirement embedded into the curriculum itself. Black churches and civic organizations must revive and modernize “souls to the polls” programs, ensuring that transportation, information, and community support are in place for every eligible voter on election day. Black policy experts should leave the ivory tower and take their knowledge to the people, using social media, church pulpits, union halls, and neighborhood meetings to explain how legislation and local ordinances will shape Black lives. Only when we play as a disciplined, united team at the local level can we hope to win the larger contest for our survival and self-determination.

2. Build an Independent Black Political Infrastructure

Every great team needs its own facilities, training staff, and playbook. For Black America, that means building an independent political infrastructure that cannot be dismantled by hostile administrations or fickle allies. This infrastructure must be funded and led by us. Black athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs, whose success was nurtured in the soil of our communities, owe a debt to the very people who cheered for them, bought their records, watched their films, and purchased their products. That debt is not repaid in charity galas alone. It is repaid by helping to establish and sustain local and national organizations capable of fighting discriminatory policies and defending our rights in the courts, in legislatures, and in the streets. Wealth in our community must be turned into organized political muscle.

To win, we also need coaches who can design the plays and strategies. Our Historically Black Colleges and Universities must expand their role from simply educating students to becoming centers of research and policy creation. They must develop data, studies, and legislative proposals rooted in the lived realities of Black people. These institutions are uniquely positioned to analyze the impact of policies on our communities and to propose alternatives that serve our interests. When our scholars step into the role of political architects, they give the team a winning game plan rather than relying on plays written by those who do not share our history or our future.

Finally, our historic and modern organizations must stop operating as separate teams with separate jerseys. The NAACP, Urban League, National Action Network, Black Lives Matter, and other major Black advocacy groups must unite under one policy platform. A single message, voiced in unison from every corner of our movement, would create a force that cannot be ignored or divided. Fragmentation is the opponent’s greatest weapon. Team unity is ours. 

3. Protect Civil Rights Gains Under Attack

In every great contest, there must be a defensive line. These are the players who guard what has been won and prevent the opponent from stripping it away. For Black America, that defense begins with safeguarding the civil rights victories that are now under relentless assault. We must create watchdog networks in every state to track and challenge rollbacks on voting rights, affirmative action, anti-discrimination laws, and equal access to education. These networks should operate like scouts on the field, constantly surveying the terrain, alerting the community to threats, and responding swiftly when new attacks arise.

Defense also requires having the will and the means to fight back in court. Strategic litigation must be a constant part of our playbook, not just a reaction when the damage is already done. Black-led legal teams, in partnership with established civil rights law firms, should be prepared to challenge unjust laws the moment they appear. Delay only gives the opposition time to advance their position.

The modern battlefield is not only in courtrooms but also in the realm of information. Trumpism thrives on falsehoods repeated until they are accepted as truth. We must build both local and national fact-checking units, rooted in our own digital media platforms, that can correct and dissolve misinformation in real time. This means training community members in digital literacy, equipping them to spot manipulation, and giving them the tools to share verified information widely. Our team cannot win if we are playing with a false scoreboard. Truth must be our shield and our weapon.

4. Economic Self-Defense and Power

No winning team survives without a strong financial base. In the struggle for Black liberation, our economy is our lifeline. Supporting Black-owned businesses is not just a matter of pride; it is a strategy for survival. Yet too often, one bad experience with a Black-owned business becomes an excuse to withdraw our support entirely. This is a self-inflicted injury. McDonald’s has been getting orders wrong for decades, yet our loyalty remains. We must extend the same, if not greater, grace to the Black start-up owner learning to navigate the market. Our dollars must circulate in our community long enough to strengthen the businesses that employ us, sponsor our youth programs, and reinvest in our neighborhoods.

Cooperative economics is the next step in building this foundation. Improving property values in our neighborhoods is not always about large-scale development projects. It can begin with something as simple as organizing monthly community clean-up days to remove trash and litter from our streets. Neighbors can pool small amounts of money to collectively pay for repairs or lawn care services for households that cannot afford them. Such efforts not only improve the physical environment but also send a message that the community values itself. We have done this before. Our ancestors built Tulsa’s Greenwood District and Florida's Rosewood into thriving Black economic hubs with little government help and far fewer resources than we have today. The tools we need are already in our hands. What is required now is the team effort to use them.

5. Strengthen Community Safety Without Over-Policing

A winning team must be able to defend itself without relying on those who have historically caused it harm. For Black communities, this means building systems of safety that do not depend solely on policing. Community-based violence interruption programs must be expanded and properly funded. These programs use trusted local figures to mediate conflicts, de-escalate tensions, and prevent retaliation before it begins. Cities across the country have also begun implementing community responder programs, where teams of trained, unarmed civilians respond to low-level 911 calls involving mental health crises, minor disputes, or non-violent emergencies. These programs now exist in nearly 90 cities, but far too often, they are absent from the very Black neighborhoods that would benefit from them the most. We must demand their presence in our communities and ensure they are staffed by people who know and understand the residents they serve.

Defending against external threats is equally important. The rise of white supremacist violence is not an abstract fear but a documented and growing danger. Our communities must organize neighborhood patrols, including lawfully armed community patrols, to deter and respond to such threats. This is not about vigilantism but about protecting our people from those who seek to harm us. Safety must be proactive, coordinated, and rooted in the community’s own commitment to its survival.

Mental health support is also a key part of safety. The trauma of living in a political climate hostile to Black existence takes a toll that can erupt in harmful ways if left unaddressed. Churches, schools, and community centers should partner with mental health professionals to offer counseling and wellness programs that are affordable and accessible. A safe community is not just one where violence is rare; it is one where the people are whole.

6. Control Our Narrative in Media

Every successful team controls its own story. If we allow our opponents to write our play-by-play, they will twist victories into defeats and turn our heroes into villains. For Black America, controlling our narrative is a matter of political survival. We must invest in Black-owned media outlets that have the reach and resources to tell our stories with accuracy, dignity, and depth. These outlets should not only cover our struggles but also highlight our achievements, innovations, and acts of solidarity. They become the record-keepers of our time, ensuring that future generations inherit the truth rather than propaganda.

We must also act as our own media watchdogs. When mainstream outlets distort our reality or spread harmful stereotypes, a united and vocal response must follow. Letters to editors, coordinated social media campaigns, and public pressure can hold these institutions accountable. Too often, lies go unchallenged because our voices are scattered. A unified media response team could mobilize quickly to counter falsehoods and redirect attention to facts.

Digital media is one of the most powerful tools in this fight. Influencers, podcasters, and independent journalists from within our community should be treated as part of the team’s communications department, not as afterthoughts. When they share accurate information and educate the public on key issues, they are advancing the team’s mission. The more we control the channels through which our story is told, the less we are at the mercy of narratives designed to weaken our resolve.

7. Global Solidarity and Pressure

Our time in the United States has been a four-hundred-year-long away game. We are not the home team. We have played on hostile turf, under biased referees, and against an opposition that has never wanted to see us win. In such a game, building alliances beyond this field is not just wise, it is essential. Connecting with African nations and the wider African diaspora can give us political and economic leverage that cannot be found solely within U.S. borders. We must form trade relationships that strengthen Black-owned industries on both continents. We must advocate for diaspora citizenship in African nations so that Black Americans have a legal and cultural foothold elsewhere in the world. These ties can provide both refuge and resources, turning our scattered people into a united front.

We must also understand that the struggle for Black rights in America is part of a larger global fight for human dignity. Attacks on our civil and political rights must be framed as violations under international law. We can use platforms such as the United Nations, the African Union, and other global forums to expose U.S. regression on racial justice. Public shaming on the world stage has historically moved governments to act where domestic pressure alone has failed. When we bring our case to the global court of opinion, we remind the world, and ourselves, that our struggle is not isolated and that our freedom is tied to the liberation of oppressed peoples everywhere.

If we master this global strategy, we turn an away game into an international movement. In unity with our brothers and sisters across the globe, we increase our chances of winning, not just for one season, but for generations to come.

We have spent too many seasons playing defense, waiting for the opposition to tire or for the rules to change in our favor. That is not how championships are won. A winning team studies the field, knows its players, trusts its coaches, and moves in perfect coordination toward victory. Black America must see itself as one team, bound by shared fate, committed to shared goals, and unwilling to leave any player behind. The clock is running, the stakes are high, and there are no substitutions coming to save us. Every one of us has a position to play, whether in the voting booth, in the streets, in the classroom, in the courtroom, or in the marketplace. It is time to lace up, take the field, and run our plays with discipline, unity, and purpose. The hour of chaos demands nothing less.