The NC Democratic Party is disrespecting Black voters | Opinion

I read with interest Andrew Dunn’s recent opinion piece, “In North Carolina, Democrats Have an Identity Crisis.” I agree the party faces a real crisis — but not just of ideology. The crisis is one of accountability to its most loyal voters.



Black voters aren’t just one constituency among many. We are the base of the Democratic Party in North Carolina. Our votes deliver elections. Yet year after year, we see neglect, empty promises and budgets that tell the real story of misplaced priorities.



This is not just an oversight. It’s a pattern of disrespect that reflects a longstanding failure to prioritize the people who make Democratic victories possible.



Every election cycle, candidates flood Black churches and neighborhoods for photo-ops. We’re told to “Vote Blue No Matter Who” while the real investments go elsewhere. We hear stirring speeches, see carefully curated platforms, but get few real policies that address the deep, systemic issues facing Black communities — like the racial wealth gap, school inequality, policing reform, rural disinvestment and health disparities.



Meanwhile, we watch millions of dollars flow to consultants and operations that overlook Black rural voters entirely. We see party staff who don’t look like the communities they claim to organize. We see decisions made behind closed doors without any meaningful Black input — except when it’s time to pose for campaign pictures.



We’re tired of being told our votes are essential but seeing our communities treated as an afterthought. We’re tired of being pandered to during election season and ignored the moment the votes are counted. We’re tired of being expected to save democracy for everyone else while no one invests in saving us.



It’s not enough to claim allyship or hold press conferences with Black elected officials. It’s not enough to promise “equity” in abstract language. We want actual budgets that reflect our value to the party. We want hiring practices that center our talent and leadership. We want policies that address the specific barriers our communities face in healthcare, housing, education and economic opportunity.



This is where the real work begins. It’s time for North Carolina Democrats to look in the mirror and ask: Whose votes do you depend on? And what are you doing to earn them?



Because the truth is that Black voters have choices. Many are increasingly disillusioned, tuning out entirely or looking elsewhere. That’s not voter apathy — it’s voter alienation. And the party has no one to blame but itself for that erosion of trust.



Let’s be clear: Black voters don’t want charity. We want partnership. We want investment. We want respect. We want to see ourselves not just in campaign promises, but in the paid staff, the budget lines, the policy priorities and the leadership tables.



If Democrats want to end this so-called “identity crisis,” they have to begin with accountability. They must face the reality that you can’t build a winning coalition on a foundation of neglect. You can’t keep taking the base for granted and expect it to stay loyal forever. You can’t keep calling us the backbone of the party while failing to put any muscle behind supporting us.



North Carolina is a battleground state. The margins are razor-thin. Black turnout isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. Investing in Black voters isn’t charity, it’s strategy. And yet, over and over, we see budgets, staffing plans and field operations that seem designed to forget that fact.



It’s time for the Democratic Party to get serious about winning. That means getting serious about treating Black voters like the indispensable base we are. Not as a box to check during election season. Not as a monolith to trot out in talking points. But as partners who deserve real power, real respect and real results.



Patience is not permission to continue business as usual. Black voters have always mattered. We always will. But it’s time for the Democratic Party to show that it knows it — and act like it.