By Governor Wes Moore
BET
Reprinted – by Texas Metro News
https://www.bet.com/
My earliest memories of America are marked by brokenness.
At just three years old, I witnessed my father die in front of me. He had gone to the hospital that morning with a sore throat and was sent home with the simple advice to “get some rest.” Hours later, William Westley Moore Jr., who gave me his middle name, died from a rare but treatable disease. He became yet another casualty of a healthcare system that often greets Black men seeking care with indifference.
This tragic moment shaped my entrance into a society that wasn’t built for me or those who look like me. I grew up in a predominantly Black and Latino community that was overpoliced. When I felt the cold steel of handcuffs around my wrists at eleven years old, it wasn’t shocking to bystanders—it was expected. Not because of who I was, but because seeing a young Black boy stopped by the cops wasn’t unusual.
Now, however, we have a presidential
Black men represent just 7% of the American population—around 23 million people. We are teachers, preachers, entrepreneurs, elected officials, fathers, and friends. Yet, despite our integral role in American life, we have often been ignored and left behind by those in power. This neglect has bred a justified skepticism within our communities. We are called upon during election cycles, serving as a core voting bloc, but in the off-years, we feel unseen and unsupported by both major parties
