1 month ago
Long-shot presidential candidate Cornel West tapped Melina Abdullah, a professor and 1 of nan co-founders of Black Lives Matter, as his moving mate for his independent statesmanlike bid.
West announced his prime connected Wednesday’s section of "The Tavis Smiley Radio Show" connected KBLA radio.
"I wanted personification whose heart, mind, and psyche is committed to nan empowerment of mediocre and moving peoples of each colors," West said. "Melina has a history of longevity of putting her heart, mind and psyche successful nan struggle."
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Melina Abdullah is simply a professor and a co-founder of Black Lives Matter. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
West commended Abdullah's "unique Black study and witness" and "keen intellect."
"At this historical and pivotal moment, it is my profound grant to guidelines alongside my beloved sister, Dr. Melina Abdullah, a fierce and tireless advocator for truth, justice, and transformative change," West said successful a property release. "Sister Melina’s unthinkable courage, keen intellect, and heavy imagination person greatly served nan origin of liberation successful education, worker rights, and some group and gender justice. Her unsocial Black study and witnesser helps america face our crumbling era of empire, achromatic supremacy, and patriarchy. I look guardant to moving pinch her arsenic we fortify our committedness successful our run for truth, justness and love!"
‘Heart conscionable soared’
Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African studies and formerly chaired nan Department of Pan-African Studies at Cal State, said that her "heart conscionable soared" erstwhile she was asked to beryllium West's vice president.
"I respect [West], and galore of america respect him arsenic 1 of nan astir superb group to locomotion this earth, and truthful I’ve been pursuing him and person been really enthusiastic about his candidacy," Abdullah said connected Smiley’s show.
"He and his wife, Annahita, asked and instantly my bosom conscionable soared," she said. "I said ‘yes’ immediately. Like, shouted ‘yes.’"
Progressive governmental activistic and philosopher Cornel West is an independent campaigner moving for president successful 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Abdullah said that she first met West erstwhile she was an undergraduate student astatine Howard University, but nan brace precocious reconnected astatine a Black Lives Matter event.
Muslim faith
The professor besides discussed her Muslim religion during nan segment, sharing that she hopes to span divisions.
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"When we talk astir Islam we talk astir group who taxable to nan will of God," Abdullah said. "Christianity and Islam and each different faith, if you deliberation astir nan halfway of who we are arsenic belief people, we’re each aligned."
Black Lives Matter co-founder Melina Abdullah leads a protestation during a Los Angeles City Council gathering past year. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Abdullah has been outspoken connected X, comparing nan New York Police Department arsenic nan KKK.
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"The KKK, nan police, and authorities officials are 1 successful nan same," she wrote successful a X station successful Dec. 2023.
After nan release of Beyoncé's latest medium merchandise past month, which features nan vocalist holding an American flag, Abdullah wrote connected X, "The #AmericanFlag symbolizes nan genocide of Indigenous people, nan theft of their land, nan enslavement, dehumanization, and exploitation of Black people, and settler colonialism. Critique astir @Beyonce’s creator prime is important and healthy, not hate."
West's run did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is simply a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
She is simply a autochthonal of Massachusetts and is based successful Orlando, Florida.
Story tips and ideas tin beryllium sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and connected X: @s_rumpfwhitten.
