BIN: Our Voices

Ashley Thomas III , representing the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), outlines the persistent structural challenges hindering Black homeownership in America. Thomas emphasizes that the homeownership gap between Black and white households is wider today than it was in 1968, with Black homeownership hovering near 44 percent compared to approximately 74 percent for white Americans...

Congresswoman Robin Kelly discusses the conclusion of her tenure in the U.S. House representing Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Kelly addresses her decision to vacate her seat following an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, expressing confidence that her district will remain in capable hands with Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller succeeding her. As chair of the Congressional Black Cau...

National security expert and former Biden administration State Department official Asha Castleberry-Hernandez outlines major emerging threats facing the United States, centering on the domestic and global fallout from ongoing conflict with Iran and rapid technological disruption. Castleberry-Hernandez highlights how foreign wars directly squeeze American households through surging energy costs, ag...

Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley addresses the escalating economic crisis facing Black women, whom she describes as the primary breadwinners disproportionately pushed out of the workforce. Pressley highlights her work on the House Financial Services Committee, reiterating demands that the Federal Reserve uphold its statutory mandate of maximum employment, while sharply criticizing the D...

Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams stresses the critical importance of civic engagement and high voter turnout to counter voter suppression, urging voters to participate and elect leaders dedicated to kitchen-table economic priorities like rising rents, inflation, and back-to-school expenses. Drawing from her background in public health and her representation of Fulton County, Williams voices s...

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar details her “Make ICE Pay” legislation, introduced in response to aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations like "Metro Surge" in Minneapolis. Omar describes the severe humanitarian and economic fallout inflicted on immigrant communities—including Somali, Hispanic, and Hmong residents—where fear of identity-based targeting caused widespread absences f...

Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) addressed pressing legislative and economic challenges confronting American families. Reflecting on recent interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, McClellan highlighted how high rates freeze the housing market—stalling entry-level inventory as current homeowners hold onto lower rates—and inflate household borrowing costs. She criticized the congressiona...

Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) examined the geopolitical and economic links between the United States and the African diaspora. Previewing his forum on the impact of foreign aid cuts and tariffs in Africa, Jackson stressed that global technological supply chains—especially critical minerals required for consumer electronics, green energy infrastructure, and defense—depend heavily on the co...

Representative Summer Lee (D-PA) discussed the enduring legacy of the Black radical tradition and its place within contemporary politics. Addressing her conference panel, Lee emphasized the necessity of reconnecting Black voters to historic liberatory movements and progressive politics, defining "radical" as challenging the status quo and expanding expectations of public institutions. When asked a...

Maryland Governor Wes Moore talks about executive governance, voting rights, and the defense of state autonomy. As the third elected Black governor in U.S. history and currently the nation’s only sitting Black governor, Moore highlights several candidates running across the country to expand executive representation. He emphasizes the unique constitutional weight of the governorship under the Tent...

Dr. Katie Boston-Leary, Senior Vice President of Equity and Engagement at the American Nurses Association (ANA), about systemic workforce challenges and the push for equity in healthcare. Dr. Boston-Leary outlines her core mission of advancing internal equity within the nursing profession while establishing a sustainable, reliable workforce that delivers patient-centered care. As the largest and m...

Texas Congressman Al Green talks about his impending retirement after 21 years of service and the severe challenges facing Black congressional leadership. Green attributes his forced retirement to calculated Republican redistricting directed by Donald Trump, which redrew his 9th Congressional District lines into another county to pit him against a fellow incumbent in an expensive primary run-off....

Dr. Sheldon Fields , President of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), talks about the direct intersection of health policy, nursing representation, and Black community wellness. Dr. Fields emphasizes that healthcare access is inextricably tied to political decisions, pointing to cuts in Medicaid, Medicare, and public health agencies like the CDC as major threats that exacerbate health cr...

Vanessa Tyler speaks with Texas Congressman Christian Menefee about his political trajectory and key priorities. Menefee reflects on representing Texas’s 18th Congressional District, emphasizing its historic legacy established by trailblazers like Barbara Jordan and Sheila Jackson Lee, while criticizing Republican redistricting efforts that pitted him against fellow Democrat Al Green to diminish B...

In an interview on the Black Information Network at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, guest host Morgyn Wood speaks with activist Gregory "Action Jackson" Jackson , the former Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention . Addressing the conference theme, "Rooted, Ready, and Rising," Jackson recounts how his nickname originated from...

Former Biden press officer Erica Loewe talks about the importance of sharing news of interest to African American community through outlets such as the Black Information Network.

Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA)  talks about the economic power and impact of the Black community in America

Rep. Justin Pearson (D-TN)  discusses the challenges facing Black Americans during the second Trump administration.

Attorney Benjamin Crump  talks to Morgyn Wood about how he is steadfast in protecting the civil rights of his clients.

Montgomery County, Maryland Councilman Will Jawando talks about the importance and benefits of economic growth in the African-American community.

Melesa Johnson Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor spoke wife Morgyn Wood about the criminal justice system and public safety. She is the first Black female prosecutor in Missouri.

Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) talks about how challenging times for the Black community bring out the best in innovation and creativity.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)  discusses the challenges facing Democrat members of Congress during the second Trump administration.

John Hope Bryant, Founder Operation HOPE discusses Black entrepreneurship and economic growth. 

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) believes that Trump administration policies are an assault on the African American community and explains why it is important for Democrats to take back the House of Representatives in the 2026 Midterm elections.