Pete Buttigieg vowed to use his “privilege of whiteness” to advocate for black Americans as he struggles to woo African American voters, a demographic he needs to win over to secure the Democratic presidential nomination.
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate sent a fundraising email Friday with a subject line of “Seneca Falls,” referring to the first women’s rights convention in 1848.
Buttigieg said Seneca Falls showed it is “important that people from every walk of life stand up for each other,” and, as a male candidate, it is “particularly important that this campaign be outspoken about women’s equality.”
“It’s why I welcome my obligation as a candidate with the privilege of whiteness on my side to speak about systemic racism in this country,” the email said.
Pete Buttigieg pens a fundraising email focusing on black women. The near end of the email reads: “It’s why I welcome my obligation as a candidate with the privilege of whiteness on my side to speak about systemic racism in this country.” pic.twitter.com/einm15nIwr
— Daniel Strauss (@DanielStrauss4) July 20, 2019
Buttigieg referenced his policy plan named after Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and the only African American at the Seneca Falls convention. The campaign rolled out the ambitious Douglass Plan earlier this month to “dismantle racist structures and systems” in the U.S.
His efforts to appeal to black voters come weeks after his record on racial justice as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was scrutinized after a white police officer shot and killed a black man.
