J,
I know you're new to our organization and all that we do at the Frederick Douglass Foundation. So, today, I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you my "why."
Why...I'm a proud, Black Conservative.
Despite what you hear from the mainstream media and Liberal elites, being a Conservative doesn't make you a "racist."
But, sadly, that doesn't mean the sin of racism doesn't exist. It does.
While I was blessed to have a happy childhood growing up in rural Virginia, that did not mean I didn't experience racism. I heard the N-word regularly. My parents attended segregated schools, and there was a restaurant in our town that refused service to Blacks well into the 1980s.
In high school, my guidance counselor encouraged me to enlist in the military instead of applying to college. Some friends who cheered my admission to Howard University, a historically Black college, later raised their eyebrows when I transferred to the prestigious University of Virginia.
As an adult, I have been pulled over by cops for no reason, as has my 19-year-old son. A white woman allowed her dog to bite me while I was jogging on a public sidewalk in my own neighborhood because she said I got "too close" to her. My daughter was falsely accused of shoplifting at the age of 13. Sadly, I could go on.
I want you to know, that I've debated telling you all of this because I don't want you to think that I'm angry at America for the racism I've personally experienced.
I'm not. I love my country and the opportunity it affords to all those who reside within her borders.
But being a Black Conservative does not mean I haven't experienced racism nor that I deny its existence.
I am not Conservative despite my race...I am a Conservative, just like you, because I believe conservative principles are best for Black Americans and for all Americans, no matter their skin color.
I believe Black Americans deserve more autonomy over our own lives, not less, and I want to live in a nation that protects Black people's right to create the good life for ourselves rather than wait naively for a magical set of social services to "rescue" us.
I am a Conservative because I want economic prosperity, limited government, and strong families for everyone.
And I want to carry this message to as many people as I possibly can, which is why a few years ago, I was so grateful to be able to found two very special organizations, the Frederick Douglass Foundation (FDF), a political organization, and the Douglass Leadership Institute (DLI), a 501c3 not-for-profit educational organization.
The first thing we did after launching was to go to he hundreds of black pastors we were connected to and ask them what they needed from their government. Their answers fell into three major categories: strengthening the Black family, securing economic and educational opportunity, and supporting criminal justice reform.
These three priorities just so happen to align perfectly with Conservative governing philosophy, as we knew they would.
Today, the Douglass Leadership Institute and Frederick Douglass Foundation continue to grow our network of pastors and leaders, equipping them to engage and lead their communities and advance their policy priorities on the state, local, and national level.
In 2020, we.... - Helped churches and other black community organizations apply for and receive more than $4 million in government support during the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program, keeping essential faith organizations afloat during the crisis.
- Currently work with more than 200 pastors and churches across the nation to host educational events and opportunities.
- Reached more than 225,000 households with a personal door knock before Election Day to educate voters in key states about where candidates at all levels stood on the issues that matter most to the Black community.
That is what you allow us to do through your on-going generosity and daily prayers.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for joining us in our mission to serve the Black community and expand the Conservative movement.
Friend, thank you for trusting in my leadership.
With your support, we will transform our communities and our nation along with them.
In His Service,
Rev. Dean Nelson
Chairman, Frederick Douglass Foundation & Douglass Leadership Institute
P.S. – If you can, please prayerfully consider sending a tax-deductible donation to the Douglass Leadership Institute of $25, $50, or even $100 today or sending an URGENT gift of $20, $40, or even $200 to the Frederick Douglass Foundation to help us achieve our goal of educating and mobilizing Black voters for Conservative candidates. | | | |
Please speak with your pastor, to ensure that your parish - be it in a bulletin or a directory - does not have such ads.
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