A humanitarian and musical icon, Stevie Wonder, has sought a meeting with President Joe Biden to address concerns about the White House’s Black agenda. The Grammy-winning icon expressed deep concerns about the perceived neglect of the White House’s Black agenda.
He expressed worry about the rollback of crucial laws for Black Americans, including the Voting Rights Act and affirmative action. Wonder held fears these issues are being sidelined in the current political landscape.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not dismiss the possibility of arranging a meeting after Wonder’s request was brought to her attention by Grio Correspondent April Ryan.
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Ryan noted that Wonder’s past meeting with former President Ronald Reagan led to the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Jean-Pierre, addressing concerns raised by Wonder to President Biden, said the President takes a serious approach to racial inequality, considering it as one of the nation’s four major crises since the beginning of his administration. However, she did not confirm a meeting between Wonder and Biden.
She mentioned multiple meetings between the administration, civil rights leaders, President Biden, and Vice President Harris. Despite Biden’s campaign promise to enact new voting rights legislation, such laws are under increasing threat from conservatives.
Jean-Pierre reassured that the president is addressing these concerns with utmost seriousness. “That’s why we’ve taken the actions that we’ve had throughout the past almost three years in this administration. That’s why we’re going to continue to be vocal about the importance of making sure that we keep an open door of opportunity for communities,” Jean-Pierre said. “I don’t have anything to share about a meeting with Mr. Stevie Wonder, but obviously, this is something that both the president, the vice president, and also the first lady, takes incredibly seriously.”
On the same day, two conservative judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit voted to potentially dismantle the remaining parts of the Voting Rights Act, a move that, if successful, could adversely affect the ability of minority voters to protect their voting rights.
