This Saturday on Melissa Harris-Perry, racial justice. With the 2016 Presidential race well underway, candidates have a slew of issues to address. But most surprising is the emergence of a narrative that Republican and Democratic candidates will have to contend with—race. We look at the recent instances in which political candidates have been called to respond specifically with policies to address racial inequality, how progressives are being pushed by grassroots groups and how the black lives matter campaign is pushing the campaign agenda.
Joining Joy Reid to discuss the racial justice platform:
- Cornell William Brooks, President and CEO, NAACP
- Julieta Garibay, campaigns director, United We Dream
- Akhil Reed Amar, sterling professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University
- Jeanne Theoharis, distinguished professor of Political Science, Brooklyn College
Be sure to check out these interesting reads related to the discussion:
- Black Lives Matter vs. Bernie Sanders, explained
- The Clinton campaign could use a public disruption from Black Lives Matter
- Rep. Waters to black voters: 'unleash us' on Obama
- State by State, Democratic Party Is Erasing Ties to Jefferson and Jackson
- 50 Years Into the War on Poverty, Hardship Hits Back
Also, on MHP, the latest on Ferguson. As the city marked one year since the shooting death of Michael Brown, peaceful protests were overshadowed by violence. We discuss the situation on the ground, the striking images, and the presence of an armed civilian group known as the ‘Oath Keepers’.
Then, California inmates fight fires for a dollar. As wildfires burn across the state, California is under a state of emergency and with the more than 11,000 firefighters on the ground, among them are state prison inmates. Joining #nerdland to discuss California inmate firefighters is Glenn Martin, president and founder, JustLeadership USA.
All that plus, NYPD and homelessness. A New York City Labor Union for police officers is being accused of “homeless shaming” in its most recent social media campaign. We discuss the growing pressure Mayor DeBlasio is under to reduce and serve New York’s homeless population. Joining #nerdland is Christy Parque, Executive Director of Homeless Services United. We also highlight our foot soldier of the week, Jody Wood, who is founder and creator of Beauty in Transition, and much more.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on msnbc. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.