>> Tiffany Loftin: A LOT OF MY WORK AS, IN ADDITION TO TEACHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE NAACP, JUST FOR THE SOLE FACT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY COME FROM, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE LEGACY OF THE NAACP.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S ABOUT HELPING THEM PAVE THE WAY TO CREATING THEIR OWN NEW FEATURE.

[MUSIC] >> Bonnie: HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE WELCOME TO b CONTRARY.b CONTINUE OUR WOMEN THOUGHT LEADER SERIES.

WE ARE HERE WITH TIFFANY DENA LOFTIN, DIRECTOR OF THE NAACP YOUTH AND COLLEGE DIVISION.

SHE SERVES MORE THAN 700 YOUTH COUNCILS AND HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CHAPTERS IN HER ROLE.

WELCOME, TIFFANY.

>> Tiffany Loftin: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Bonnie: THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> Tiffany Loftin: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Bonnie: GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE.

LET'S START WITH, OKAY, YOU'RE RUNNING THE YOUTH DIVISION OF THE NAACP.

>> Tiffany Loftin: YES.

>> Bonnie: HOW WELL IN TUNE WITH EDUCATED ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS GAINING CIVIL RIGHTS, OUR YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE AWARE OF?

>> Tiffany Loftin: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTIONLAD TO BE HERE.

THERE ARE FOLKS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT OUR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY AND ITS SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE NAACP LEADERSHIP AND MOVEMENT IN OUR HISTORY OF AMERICA.

IT'S NOT JUST CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, IT'S HISTORY OF AMERICA AND CLASSES, IN OUR CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I'M A GRADUATE OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

OUR FOLKS TO LEARN ABOUT THE NAACP DON'T LEARN ABOUT THE INSTITUTION IN ITS ENTIRETY IN THE ROLE WE PLAY NOT ONLY IN A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BUT ALSO IN TODAY'S MOVEMENT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER, WE TALK ABOUT RODNEY REESE CASE, VOTER SUPPRESSION, STACEY ABRAMS RACE IN GEORGIA OR WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE FIGHTING FOR A QUALITY EDUCATION.

THINGS THE NAACP HAS DONE TODAY THE FOLKS MAY NOT BE AS AWARE OF.

BUT FOLKS ARE VERY AWARE THE NAACP HAS PLAYED A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE ROLE IN OUR HISTORY, NOT ONLY TOWARDS EQUITY AND EQUALITY, BUT ALSO ABOUT ECONOMIC AND RACIAL JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY ALONE.

>> Bonnie: IF THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT YOU THINK ALL PEOPLE IN AMERICA SHOULD KNOW, AND PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR, THAT THE NAACP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING INTO HISTORY, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

>> Tiffany Loftin: FIRST THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOLKS UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THEIR RIGHT TO USE THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT HAS BEEN PROTECTED AND FOUGHT FOR BY THE NAACP IN OUR HISTORY IN MULTIPLE CASES, CASES OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

MOST RECENTLY WITH BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AFTER THE FRIDAY GRAY MURDER AND STUDENTS AND YOUNG FOLKS TAKING TO THE STREETS TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR FREDDIE GRAY.

THERE ARE CASES, SUPREME COURT CASES TRIED IN HEARD BY THE NAACP THAT PROTECTS FOLKS' VOICES AND THEIR ABILITY TO GO AND MARCH IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THAT IS ONE.

OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP IN OUR AGENCY AND DEMANDED THAT PEOPLE POWER IS WHAT FOLKS SEE, THAT FOLKS PAY ATTENTION TO PEOPLE POWER, THE NAACP STOOD BEHIND THAT RIGHT FOR GENERATIONS AND FOR EMPHASIS SINCE ITS INSTITUTION.

THE SECOND THING EVER SAID IS WHAT IT IS INFRINGEMENT IS A HUGE THING IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, OBVIOUSLY, AND MOST RECENTLY THE NAACP HAS FOUGHT IN PLACES LIKE GEORGIA WHERE VOTERS ACTUALLY GOT TO THE POLLS AND THERE WERE BALLOT BOXES THAT THEY COULD NOT PLUG UP OR WERE NOT ENOUGH BALLOT b ÃÃ PLEDGE CARDS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

AND FOLKS WHO TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOORS EARLY FOR THOSE ACTUAL PRECINCTS WHERE PEOPLE WERE CASTING THEIR VOTES, THE NAACP AND LEGAL DEFENSE FUND CAME OUT AND SUED THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND GEORGE AND SAID, LISTEN, YOU CAN'T SHUT OFF VOTING PLACES IN PRECINCTS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER OR PAPER.

THIS IS ABOUT DEMOCRACY.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS PLACE IS OPEN.

AND SO, IN PLACES LIKE SPELMAN COLLEGE IN PLACES LIKE MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, WE THOUGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS, NOT ONLY WITH SUPREME COURT EMBASSY AND THE LAW AND THE CASES THAT TOOK PLACE THERE, BUT ALSO ADDRESSING THEM AND THEIR CAMPUSES ADMINISTRATIONS AND THEIR CANNON SALUTE SAID, LISTEN, OUR STUDENTS AND THESE UNIVERSITIES AND THINGS IN THESE INSTITUTIONS NEED TO BE THERE TO BE ABLE TO CAST THEIR VOTE AND THE NAACP STOOD UP AND STOOD BEHIND THAT.

SO IN CASES WHERE WE'VE SEEN VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT, AND VOTER SUPPRESSION SHOW UP, THE NAACP HAS STOOD UP AND FOUGHT THOSE MATTERS, TOO.

AND SO THERE'S CASES LIKE THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAPPENED.

WE'RE NOT A LAW FIRM WHERE WE FIGHT INDIVIDUAL CASES.

BUT THERE ARE INSTITUTIONAL THINGS THAT THE NAACP HAS DONE TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO PROTEST.

>> Bonnie: AND WHAT ABOUT GOING BACK TO YOUR ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED EARLY IN THE LAST CENTURY AS WELL AS THE YOUTH DIVISION, WHICH YOU NOW RUN.

HOW MUCH OF THE HISTORY, OVER THE ORGANIZATION WAS INVOLVED WITH SLAVERY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IN NAME ANYWAY, IF NOT IN NAME ONLY, HAD BEEN ABOLISHED SOME 45 YEARS BEFORE YOU, THE ORGANIZATION, WAS FORMED.

BUT HOW MUCH OF THE HISTORY IS INVOLVED WITH THE FACT THAT -- FROM AN A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, SLAVERY ON PAPER ENDED IN 1865.

>> Tiffany Loftin: RIGHT THE ONE BUT AFRICAN-AMERICANS DID NOT REALLY START GAINING AN ECONOMIC OR CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE SOUTH UNTIL 100 YEARS LATER.

>> Tiffany Loftin: RIGHT.

SO MUCH OF MY JOB NOW WHICH THERE'S 369 CHAPTERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN GOOD STANDING.

SO GOOD STANDING MEANS WE HAVE 25 MEMBERS ARE MORE.

IT MEANS THEY PAY THEIR MEMBERSHIP DUES AND IT ALSO MEANS THAT THEY FILED THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS WITH THE IRS FOR THE NAACP.

SO THEY ARE RECOGNIZED BY OUR ORGANIZATION TO BE A CHAPTER OF THE NAACP ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, LOCAL OR STATE LEVEL.

THE WORK THAT I DO NOW IS TRAINING, MOBILIZING, AND EMPOWERING YOUNG BLACK YOUTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN OVER 369 CHAPTERS.

WE REPRESENT 700 CHAPTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE IN GOOD STANDING.

TO BE IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE NAACP, IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO HAVE 25 MEMBERS IN YOUR CHAPTER, IT MEANS THEY OUGHT TO BE MEMBERSHIP BASED b ÃÃ MEMBERSHIP DUES PAYING MEMBERS, AND IT MEANS THAT THEY FILE THEIR FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR THE NAACP WHICH GIVES THEM THEIR IRS TAX THAT IS WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO USE THE NAME OF THE NAACP WHEN THEY ARE DOING PROTESTS OR HOLY EVENTS SO THEY ARE COVERED BY OUR TAX STATUS AND INSURANCE.

SO 369 OF THOSE CHAPTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE TRAINED, EMPOWERED, AND ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND LOCAL STATEWIDE NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS THAT IMPROVE THEIR LIVES FOR NOT ONLY THEIR CHAPTER BUT ALSO FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF MY WORK AS, IN ADDITION TO TEACHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE NAACP, JUST FOR THE SOLE FACT THAT THEY COULD UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY COME FROM, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE LEGACY OF THE NAACP, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE NAMES OF THE FOREFATHERS INFORM OTHERS THAT THEY STAND ON THE BACKS AND SHOULDERS OF THAT HELPED CREATE THE ORGANIZATION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S ABOUT HELPING THEM PAVE THE WAY TO CREATE THEIR OWN NEW FUTURE.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR THAT OUR ANCESTORS OR ELDERS FOUGHT FOR?

NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY FOR THE STUDENT NONVIOLENT ACTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

WE WILL DO A CONFERENCE JOINTLY WITH THEM WITH OUR STUDENTS IN THE ALUMNI AND THE VETERANS FROM SNICK.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GO TO THAT CONFERENCE TO LEARN WITH THEM.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU FALL FOR?

THINGS LIKE INTEGRATION, QUALITY SCHOOLS, ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY TO SCHOOLS, FAIR HOUSING, CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ENDING MASS INCARCERATION, FAIRNESS AND DEMOCRACY, THINGS OF THOSE NATURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR.

SO THE WAY THAT WE TEACH THEM THEIR HISTORY IS HERE IS WHAT THEY DID AND HERE IS WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT IN ORDER TO b ÃÃ HERE'S HOW WE UNDERSTAND THE WORK THEY DID AND WHAT WE SHOULD LEARN ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN HOW THEY PLAYED IT IN FIGHTING FOR THOSE CAMPAIGNS AND ISSUES AND HOW WE EITHER DO THE SAME THING OR DO IT DIFFERENTLY NOW.

AND SO THE WORK THAT I GET TO DO AND HAVE THE HONOR OF DOING IS TRAINING EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS AND 10-YEAR-OLDS TO 18-YEAR-OLDS, RIGHT?

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO DO AS A CHANGE AGENT IN THE NAACP?

HOW CAN WE SPARK THE FIRE OF THE ACTIVISM, THE ADVOCACY, THE PROTESTER, THE LEADER, THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS PERSON?

HOW DO WE SPARK THOSE TALENTS TO HELP MOVE AN AGENDA FORWARD THAT NOT ONLY OUR ANCESTORS AND FOREFATHERS FOUGHT FOR BUT WHEN WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR SO THAT GENERATIONS AFTER US DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORRY ABOUT?> Bonnie: TELL ME, HOW DO YOU SPARK THAT.

>>>.

>> Tiffany Loftin: A FEW WAYS: ONE IS OUR FOLKS REALLY LOVE TO CONNECT TWO THINGS THAT FEEL LIKE HOME?

THINGS I FEEL LIKE HOME TO OUR COMMUNITIES ARE MUSIC, BRINGING IN THE TALENT FROM SOCIAL MEDIA OR FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY TO COME AND SPARK THEIR INTEREST.

IF ONE OF MY STUDENTS DOES NOT REALLY LISTEN TO OR WATCH THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATES AT THE TYLER PERRY STUDIOS THAT THEY WILL LISTEN TO A RAP ARTIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I HAVE TO USE THE MESSENGER THAT I KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR THROUGH TO HELP BRING THE MESSAGE TO THEM TO RECRUIT THEM TO THE WORK THAT WE WANT TO DO.

AND ONCE I RECRUIT THEM TO THE WORK, AND IS JUST HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHY THE WORK IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.

SO IT'S NOT JUST YOU HAVE TO GET OUT AND VOTE, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT AND VOTE, VOTE OR DIE.

OUR ANCESTORS DIED FOR YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.

THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS MOVE OUR PEOPLE, THE GENERATION I WORK WITH, GENERATION Z AND MILLENNIAL GENERATION.

WHAT DOES MOVE THEM IS IF I HELPED MAKE CLEAR TO THEM IS LISTEN, I FEEL BILL COMING UP THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMERLY INCARCERATED TO GET THEIR VOTES TO VOTE BACK.

DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WAS FORMERLY INCARCERATED?

AND THEY'LL SAY, YES, I'M SAYING, WELL, DO YOU THINK IT'S FAIR THAT THEY DON'T GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE AFTER THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME?

AND THEY'LL SAY NO, I SAY WELL, IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS BILL THIS AMENDMENT, IT'LL HELP CHANGE THAT INSTITUTIONALLY.

OH, SO NOW IT'S PERSONAL.

OR IF I SAY, LISTEN, IF WE ELECT THIS PERSON WHO ALSO HAS THE POWER TO ELECT THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF AND YOU THINK POLICE BRUTALITY IS A PROBLEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WE CAN HELP MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND FIND SOMEBODY IN OFFICE WILL HELP MAKE HER APPOINTMENTS SO NOW LET'S PERSONAL.

OR IF I SAY TO THAT, LISTEN, IF WE ELECT THIS PERSON WHO ALSO HAS THE POWER TO ELECT THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF, AND YOU THINK POLICE BRUTALITY IS A PROBLEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WE CAN HELP MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES, AND FIND SOMEBODY IN OFFICE WHO WILL HELP MAKE FAIR APPOINTMENTS AND FAIR DECISIONS.

AND FAIR DECISIONS AND MAYBE WE CAN SEE A DIFFERENT CULTURE SHIFT IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES TO ENDING POLICE BRUTALITY.

IF I MAKE IT PERSONAL FOR PEOPLE, ONCE I RECRUIT THEM, THEN THE MIND AND THE SPARK FOR THEMSELVES IS ORGANIC.

I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT TOO HARD TO GET THEM TO MOVE.

THE NEXT QUESTION BECOMES, WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?

AND IT'S, OKAY, GREAT.

I DON'T WANT JUST YOU TO VOTE.

I WANT YOU TO BRING FIVE PEOPLE WITH YOU TO THE POLLS.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO VOTE, I WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR UNIVERSITY IS GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO CAN HELP INSTITUTE THE CENSUS SO THAT IT'S FAIR AT YOUR SCHOOL AND YOUR UNIVERSITY SO THAT FOLKS CAN HAVE THE ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT WE NEED AND THEY CAN GET COUNTED.

THINGS LIKE THAT HELP INSPIRE PEOPLE.

SO IT'S ABOUT THE MESSAGING, AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT MAKING IT PERSONAL.

>> Bonnie: AND WHAT EFFECT HAS THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY HAD ON YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS GETTING POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND INVOLVED?

>> Tiffany Loftin: SORRY.

I LAUGHED.

SOMETIMES I LEFT WHEN YOU ARE TRIGGERED.

[LAUGHTER] HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY: I WILL NEVER SAY THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN GOOD FOR US AND THE WORK WE DO.

I WILL NEVER SAY THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT.

THERE'S VIOLENCE THAT'S COME FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS HURT OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT ONLY IN THE PRESENT TENSE, BUT IN THE FUTURE TO COME.

BUT I THINK IT HAS AWAKEN PEOPLE'S MIND TO THE ROLE THAT THE WHITE HOUSE PLAYS, THE ROLE THAT CONGRESS PLAYS, AND ESPECIALLY THE ROLE THE SUPREME COURT PLAYS IN MAKING DECISIONS THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ON A DAILY BASIS.

I SAY THAT NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S POLITICAL, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN WAYS THAT VIOLENCE HAS SHOWED UP PERSONALLY FOR PEOPLE.

IT HAS DIVIDED OUR COUNTRY.

IT HAS CREATED VERY, VERY, VERY SHARP, AND I SAY SHARP INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS, VERY SHARP IS LOCALIZATION ON CAMPUSES ALSO CONTRIBUTED I HAVE STUDENTS, WHO, YOU KNOW, IN FLORIDA LAST YEAR, HAD A MEXICAN PARTY WHERE THEY CREATED A WALL AND IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET TO THE PARTY YOU HAD TO JUMP OVER THE WALL.

THE BLACK STUDENT UNION REACHED OUT TO THE METRA, WHICH IS THE LATIN X STUDENT ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS, AND THEY FORMED A COALITION AND SAID, LISTEN, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

ANY ATTACK ON COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMMIGRANTS, WHICH IS ALSO BLACK PEOPLE'S ISSUES, IS AN ATTACK ON ALL STUDENTS OF COLOR.

YOU CANNOT BRING THAT HATE SPEECH TO OUR SCHOOL AND EXPECTS US TO GO TO CLASS AND FEEL SAFE.

SO THAT TYPE OF STIRRING OF PERSONAL HATE THAT HAPPENS IS COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, DIRECTLY FROM DONALD TRUMP'S MOUTH.

HE IS IN SO DOING IT AND HE'S ALSO NOT bÃÃTHAT SHE'S MAKING IT SEEM LIKE IT'S OKAY.

HE'S AFFIRMING AND LEGITIMIZING THE HATE CRIME, THE HATE CRIMES IN THE HATE VIOLENCE AND HATE SPEECH THAT WE SEE IN OUR SCHOOLS.

YOU SEE RICHARD SPENCER TRAVELING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT HBCU CHAPTERS ARE ON b ÃÃEXCUSE ME, NAACP CHAPTERS ARE ON AND YOU ARE WATCHING OUR STUDENTS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN CONVERSATION, BUT THERE IS A RACIAL BIAS b ¦¦ >> Bonnie: IN CONVERSATION, WHAT YOU MEAN?

>> Tiffany Loftin: HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH WHITE NATIONALISTS ON CAMPUS, THE ALT-RIGHT ON CAMPUS, WITH THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES ON CAMPUS WHO AGREE WITH THE LANGUAGE AND NARRATIVE IN THE AGENDA, MORE IMPORTANT, OF RICHARD SPENCER WHO COMES TO THEIR SCHOOL.

AND SO, IT HAS MADE IT b ÃÃIT HAS MADE THE CLIMATE OF CAMPUSES WORSE.

IT HAS MADE THE TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE OF THE EVERYDAY LIFE, I THINK OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND INSTITUTION IS PREDOMINATELY WHITE b ÃÃI WENT TO A PROMINENTLY WHITE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ.

IT MADE THAT EXPERIENCE VIOLENT.YOU CAN GO TO CLASS IN EXPECT TO LEARN ABOUT MACRO ECON WHEN YOU WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE HANGING A NOOSE ON YOUR CAMPUS, RIGHT?

SO THE LANGUAGE THAT THIS PRESIDENCY HAS CREATED AND ALLOWED I THINK HAS MAKE IT HEARTED AND IT HAS REIGNITED SOME OF THE FIRE THAT I THINK FOLKS ARE EITHER ACT TIRED OR APATHETIC TO COME BACK INTO THE WORK.

IT'S ALSO CHALLENGED MY CHAPTERS IN THE NAACP TO THINK DIFFERENTLY AND MORE RADICALLY ABOUT HOW THEY APPROACH THIS WORK.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS INSTEAD OF DOING A PANEL OR INSTEAD OF HAVING A PETITION, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATIONS.

WE NEED TO HAVE SOME REAL CONVERSATIONS WHERE THOUGHT LEADERS AND DECISION-MAKERS COME TO THE TABLE AND SAY, WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ACTUALLY ON, BECAUSE THEY CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE AND SUPPORT OF WHAT RICHARD SPENCER IS DOING OR SAY WHAT DONALD TRUMP HAS DONE IS OKAY AND STILL BE FOR RACIAL SOLIDARITY, EQUALITY, EQUITY AND ABOUT SUPPORTING THE BLACK STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY.

>> Bonnie: AS WE ARE SPEAKING, WE ARE HEADING INTO AN ELECTION YEAR AND A LOT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS, YOUNG WOMEN AND YOUNG MEN WERE ENERGIZED TO COME OUT AND VOTE FOR OBAMA AND NOT SO MUCH FOR HILLARY CLINTON.

HOW ARE YOU b ÃÃDO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO NEED MORE ENERGY, OR AS THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY ALONE ENOUGH TO ENERGY PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?

>> Tiffany Loftin: INTERESTING.

GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK THAT YOUNG BLACK VOTERS AT THIS TIME NEED ANYTHING MORE THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE FINDING IS OUR CANDIDATES ARE NOT SPEAKING TO THE ISSUES THAT WE CARE MOST DEEPLY ABOUT.

SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, FOR ME, IF YOUNG BLACK FOLKS DECIDE THEY ARE GOING TO TURN OUT, WHO ARE THEY TURNING OUT FOR AND WHAT ARE THEY TURNING OUT FOR?

AND THEY NEED THAT.

WE ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE POLLS, PEOPLE HAVE FAIR ACCESS TO THE POLLS, THERE IS VOTER DOES -- DISENFRANCHISEMENT RIGHT NOW WITH CAMPUS IDEAS AND GETTING PROPER IDEAS TO THE POLLS AND CASHING YOUR BALLOT.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO FILE ABSENTEE WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

WE ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE SORT THIS STUFF OUT NOW BEFORE WE GET TO NEXT YEAR.

BUT I THINK THAT THE CANDIDATES AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, ARE STILL HAVING CHALLENGES RESONATING AND SPEAKING TO AN AUDIENCE THAT THEY THINK EITHER DOES OR DOES NOT MATTER.

AND IF THEY THINK IT DOES NOT MATTER, THE CHARGES A LARGER PROBLEM TO THE COUNTRY.

AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT, RIGHT?

I'M 30 YEARS OLD RIGHT NOW.

THE GENERATION I WORK WITH AND KIDS I WORK WITH, THEY RECOGNIZE WHEN PEOPLE ARE IGNORING THEM.

WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DEMANDING THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER, THAT WE WANT FREE EDUCATION, WE WANTED TO DEMAND THAT WE ALLEVIATE ALL STUDENT DEBT, WE DEMAND THAT WE BE ABLE TO HAVE SAFE ACCESS TO SCHOOLS WHEN WE GO TO OUR SCHOOLS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT A POLICE OFFICER SLAMMING CHILDREN TO THE GROUND.

WE WANT MORE COUNSELORS ON CAMPUS THAN WE DO POLICE OFFICERS.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE b ÃÃWE WANT OUR PARENTS TO HAVE FAIR, PAYABLE JOBS, RIGHT?

WE WANT TO GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY.

ALL THESE THINGS WE HAVE AN AGENDA AROUND.

WE WANT EQUITY FOR LGBTQ SGL COMMUNITIES WE WANT, THE LIST GOES ON.

WE WANT FAIR ACCESS FOR WOMEN TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THEIR OWN BODIES AND HEALTHCARE WITH WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE.

WE WANT THOSE THINGS NOW AND THEY ARE PART OF OUR AGENDAS.

BUT IF FOLKS ARE NOT SPEAKING DIRECTLY, AND I SAY FOLKS, I MEAN CANDIDATES, IF THEY ARE NOT SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO YOUNG BLACK FOLKS, WE PAY ATTENTION TO THAT AND WE VOTE IN OUR PINTEREST INTERESTS IN FAVOR.

WE DON'T VOTE BECAUSE A PARTY TELLS US TO VOTE A CERTAIN WAY .

WE VOTE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HELP US AND IT'S OUR ONLY OPTION.

I THINK THE ENERGY THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE INTO 2020 IS WE KNOW WHAT WE DON'T WANT.

WHERE THE OPTIONS OF WHO'S SPEAKING TO US CLOSER AND WHO IS GOING TO HELP US ACHIEVE LIBERATION IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE?

AND WILL NOT MOST IMPORTANTLY IGNORE US WHEN THEY GET ELECTED.

>> Bonnie: SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES?

>> Tiffany Loftin: NOT AT ALL.

I'M THINKING WE STILL TIME FOR CANDIDATES TO ADJUST AND SHIFT HOW THEY ARE APPROACHING TALKING TO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES.

>> Bonnie: ARE THEY JUST FLAT OUT NOT TALKING TO BLACK AUDIENCES?

IS THAT HOW YOU SEE IT?

>> Tiffany Loftin: NO, NOTHING THEY ARE IGNORING BLACK AUDIENCES.

I THINK THERE ARE ISSUES THAT THEY ARE TOO SCARED TO ADDRESS.

WE'VE NOT SEEN THINGS ON MASS INCARCERATION ON THESE DEBATE STAGES, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THINGS ABOUT BAILOUT PREFORM ON HIS STAGES.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES OUR COMMUNITIES CARE ABOUT LIKE HEALTH AND EDUCATION ON CAMPUSES AND ENDING THE WHOLE b ¦¦ >> Bonnie: THEY SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TALK BY THE DEMOCRATIC, SOME OF THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ABOUT FREE COLLEGE TUITION, ABOUT FREE MEDICARE FOR, YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE FOR ALL.

AREN'T THOSE TWO MAJOR ISSUES?

>> Tiffany Loftin: QUIZ OR TWO BUT I THINK THERE FOR EVERYONE.

THERE ARE ISSUES THAT BLACK YOUNG FOLKS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, POLICE BRUTALITY IS A HUGE WANT, OBVIOUSLY.

AND YOUNG BLACK LEADERS HAVE BEEN LEADING THAT MOVEMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.

WE STILL HAVE SEEN PEOPLE TIPTOEING AROUND SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUE.

AND SO, UNLESS WE SEE CANDIDATES COME OUT AND SPEAK WITH OUR LOCAL, NOT NATIONAL ENTERTAINERS, LOCAL LEADERS WHO DO THIS WORK ON THE GROUND EVERY SINGLE DAY WHO ARE ON CAMPUSES, WHO ARE REGISTERING OTHER VOTERS, WHO ARE YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR AMENDMENTS AND LOCAL RACES, THEY ARE NOT TALKING TO THEM SPECIFICALLY AND WE SEE THEM ADDRESSING AND TALKING TO THE TRUSTED LEADERSHIP, THEN WE CANNOT TRUST OR ALIGN OURSELVES WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY, ONE, WHICH WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO, OR ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATE WHO IS SAYING THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO THE YOUNG BLACK AUDIENCE.

>> Bonnie: SO AS THE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON AND YOU ARE ADJUSTING IN THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO IN 2020 ABOUT IT?

>> Tiffany Loftin: GREAT QUESTION.

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO: THE FIRST THAT I TELL FOLKS TO DO, BECAUSE I TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SPEAK TO YOUNG FOLKS ALL THE TIME, IS THEY HAVE TO FACT CHECK THE SOURCES.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A NO-BRAINER, BUT IN TODAY'S AGE, FOLKS GET THEIR NEWS AND MEDIA FROM SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST TRUSTED, RELIABLE SOURCE.

SO AS WE MAKE DECISIONS PERSONALLY IN THE BALLOT BOX OR AS LEADERS OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FACT CHECKING SOURCES AND INFORMATION AND WHERE WE GATHER OUR IDEAS TO ESTABLISH OURSELVES AND VALUE SET.

AND STAY COMMITTED TO OUR VALUES THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO FACT CHECK WHO, WHY THEY ARE SAYING IT, WHY THEY ARE SAYING, AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THE FIRST WHO, WHY THEY ARE SAYING IT, WHY THEY ARE SAYING, AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THE FIRST THING .SECOND THING I WOULD ASK FOLKS TO DO IS JOIN AN ORGANIZATION.

WE CAN DO A LOT MORE WHEN WE ARE ORGANIZED COLLECTIVELY.

AS SOMEONE DOING THIS WORK FOR 12 YEARS, I FIND THAT FOLKS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY ARE WORKING IN COALITIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES AND FOLKS ACROSS, ACROSS ISSUE LINES.

SO THAT MEANS JOINING NAACP ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND THAT MEANS JOIN PLANNED PARENTHOOD CHAPTER AT YOUR SCHOOL, JOINING UNITED WAY DREAM IN YOUR COMMUNITY, ALL THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WE CAN ALIGN YOURSELVES WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK ABOUT AN AGENDA THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO AND WHO ARE TAKING CONCRETE STEPS TO CREATE REAL CHANGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

NOT TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING ON YOUR OWN, JOIN AN ORGANIZATION.

TESTING OF ESSAYS PEOPLE SHOULD DO IS THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT FOLKS CAN HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE CLOTHES CIRCLES.

WE OFTEN THINK BECAUSE THEY ARE IN OUR FAMILY OR OUR CLOSEST FRIENDS THAT WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THESE POLITICAL ISSUES.

I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT WE DON'T.

IT'S REALLY NECESSARY THAT MY MOM HEARS ABOUT MY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ON IMMIGRATION POLICY OR DACA FROM HER DAUGHTER AND NOT FROM SOMEONE ON THE BUS, RIGHT?

SHE WILL RECEIVE IT DIFFERENTLY.

IT'S IMPORTANT TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS HAVE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATIONS WITHIN THEIR STUDENTS.

THAT'S THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THEY CREATE THEIR CONVERSATIONS AND NOT SOMEONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE THEY ARE FIGHTING IN THEIR FACEBOOK COMMENTS, RIGHT?

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP REDIRECT THE COMPASS OF THIS COUNTRY AND WILL HELP US FIGURE OUT WHO IS THE BEST CANDIDATE AND, MOST IMPORTANT LAY, WHAT'S THE BEST DIRECTION FOR OUR GOVERNMENT OVERALL IN 2020.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE CANDIDATE.

SO THOSE THREE THINGS, RIGHT: FACT CHECKING, JOINING AN ORGANIZATION, HAVING TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU.

IF WE CANNOT COMMIT TO DOING THAT, WE COULD PROBABLY CHANGE THE COUNTRY OVERNIGHT.

>> Bonnie: ONE LAST QUESTION: YOU'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT ORGANIZING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.

I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

I SHOULD, BUT I KNOW THAT ONE IN THREE AMERICANS OF ALL b ÃÃNO MATTER WHAT COLOR, GENDER, THEY GO TO START COLLEGE, I SHOULD SAY, AT LEAST ATTEND WHEN YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

I WOULD IMAGINE THE NUMBER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS IS LOWER THAN THAT.

SO MOST OF YOUR CONSTITUENCY ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO CAMPUSES.

HOW ARE YOU REACHING THEM?

>> Tiffany Loftin: SO 70 PERCENT OF MILLENNIALS ARE NOT EVEN ON CAMPUSES RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S ONLY 30 PERCENT OF MILLENNIALS.

THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO DO THAT: ONE, WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE THE FOLKS MOBILIZE, WHERE THEY GATHER AND CONVENE.

IT'S NOT JUST CHURCHES.

THEY ACTUALLY DON'T GO TO CHURCH THAT MUCH ANYMORE.

IT'S AT THE JOB AND WORKPLACE.

IT'S ALSO FIGURING OUT, HOW DO WE USE THE 30 PERCENT THAT WE DO HAVE WHO DO KNOW HOW TO MOBILIZE, WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY ON THE CAMPUS OR OUT OF SCHOOL TO CREATE ORGANIZATION AND HOW DID THEY LEAVE THE CAMPUS WALLS AND GO VISIT FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND VISIT PEOPLE AT THEIR HOMES AND AT THEIR JOBS?

AND SO THE NAACP COLLEGE DIVISION DID THAT LAST YEAR THE 2018 ELECTION CYCLE WHERE WE SAW STUDENTS RIDE VANS AND DRIVE IN CANVAS AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND HAVE REAL TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AT THE FRONT DOOR AND THEN REGISTER AT THE FRONT DOOR AND THEN COME BACK AND HAVE PAMPHLETS SO THEY CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE VOTING GUIDES SO THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED AND INFORMED DECISION AT THE BALLOT BOX.

WE WILL EXPAND THAT TACTIC AGAIN FOR 2020.

IF NECESSARY THAT WE DO WORK OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS WITH MILLENNIALS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT 70 PERCENT OF US ARE NOT EVEN THERE.

AND SO THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING NOT ONLY HELPS WITH THE AGENDA OF, OF COURSE, THE NAACP AND THE VALUES WE SET BUT IT ALSO GROWS MEMBERSHIP.

WHEN NAACP LEADERS CAN GO ON KNOCK ON DOORS AND SAY, HEY, ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE AND ARE YOU A NAACP NUMBER, WE GET TO BIRDS AND ONE STONE.

IT'S GREAT.

>> Bonnie: FABULOUS.

>> Tiffany Loftin: YEAH.

>> Bonnie: BEST OF LUCK WITH EVERYTHING YOU DO IN 2020 AND BEYOND.

>> Tiffany Loftin: THANK YOU.

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