Polices That Impact Our Communities

BMV Policy Pillars

Black Men Vote advances a data-driven agenda in five areas Black men prioritize most: Education, Health, Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Workforce Development, and Agriculture & Commerce. Each pillar is actionable and measurable.

1) Education

Promise: Close gaps from early childhood through college and careers.
We’ll push for:

  • More Black male teachers, mentoring/tutoring, SEL supports, and stronger Title I in Black neighborhoods.

  • Third-grade literacy policies that invest in early reading (not automatic retention), with culturally responsive curricula and after-school/summer programs.

  • Affordable postsecondary & CTE pathways (larger Pell grants, strong HBCU/MSI funding, paid apprenticeships).

  • Second-chance education (adult ed/GED, prison education, reentry scholarships).

How we’ll measure success: Higher Black male graduation and proficiency; more Black men enrolling in/finishing college, certificates, or apprenticeships.

2) Health

Promise: Increase life expectancy by expanding access, prevention, and mental health.
We’ll push for:

  • Coverage & Care: Medicaid expansion where missing; more community health centers; lower costs (e.g., insulin caps, ACA subsidies).

  • Black Men’s Health Initiatives: Targeted funding for hypertension, prostate cancer, screenings (“Know Your Numbers”).

  • Mental Health: Culturally competent services, more Black male providers, school/barbershop/reentry/HBCU-embedded supports, parity in coverage.

  • Health Literacy & Navigators: Train Black men as navigators; push equity in policy/clinical trials and bias reduction.

How we’ll measure success: Lower uninsured rates; higher preventive screening (e.g., BP checks for men 40+); thousands connected to coverage.

3) Small Business & Entrepreneurship

Promise: Unlock capital, contracts, and know-how for Black male business owners.
We’ll push for:

  • Access to Capital: Expand SBA Community Advantage; create/scale Black investment funds; enforce fair lending; grow CDFI reach.

  • Training & Incubation: Fund incubators, mentorship, technical assistance; tax credits and grants for startups.

  • Procurement & New Markets: Stronger supplier-diversity targets; equitable access to government contracts; support entry into green, cannabis (where legal), tech, and AI sectors.

How we’ll measure success: More SBA-backed loans to Black owners; higher Black male business formation/survival; rising contract dollars to Black-owned firms.

4) Workforce Development

Promise: Train, hire, and advance Black men into good, lasting careers, not just jobs.
We’ll push for:

  • Training & Apprenticeships: Big investments in high-demand fields (construction, IT, manufacturing, clean energy), with paid pathways.

  • Returning Brothers: Strong reentry employment and upskilling to reduce recidivism.

  • Targeted Hiring & Place-Based Growth: Incentives/tax credits to hire Black men; local-hire requirements; wage floors and stronger unions.

  • Workplace Rights & Advancement: Tougher anti-discrimination enforcement and pathways into management.

How we’ll measure success: Narrow the Black male unemployment gap; thousands placed via partner programs; returning citizen’s turnout; higher median wages and representation in leadership.

5) Agriculture & Commerce

Promise: Restore land, build rural wealth, and connect Black businesses to global opportunity.
We’ll push for:

  • Supporting Black Farmers: Enforce anti-discrimination at USDA; back Justice for Black Farmers–type legislation; debt relief, technical assistance, and co-ops.

  • Rural Development: Invest in broadband, transport, and banking access in predominantly Black rural counties.

  • Commerce & Trade: Open supply chains and export assistance to Black firms; elevate Black chambers in trade policy.

How we’ll measure success: Growth in Black farmers/acreage and rural investments; more Black-owned firms in the ag/value chain and export markets.

Our Bottom Line

These pillars keep us laser-focused on economic security, health, and opportunity — what Black men say matters most — and we’ll adjust these tactics based on hard data like unemployment, college completion, and life expectancy.

What We Stand For