Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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"We are no longer asking; we are demanding."

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, the fight for Black political power has reached a critical turning point. At the ESSENCE Festival of Culture 2026, moderator Ashley Allison (Meet the Press) leads a heavy-hitting panel featuring Reverend Al Sharpton (National Action Network), Mark Morial (National Urban League), and Reverend Shavon Arline-Bradley (NCNW) to discuss the current war on Black progress and the strategy for the road ahead.

From the 2024 election's lasting impact to the future of civil rights, these leaders break down why the next chapter of American history must be defined by Black power, economic equity, and unwavering advocacy.

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