In order to win over black male voters, Harris released an agenda that mentioned strengthening the regulation of cryptocurrencies, protecting digital assets, and emphasizing the interests of black men. This is her most specific statement since she succeeded Joe Biden in July. In contrast, her opponent, former President Trump, has been very vocal about cryptocurrencies.
Harris's move made some people happy and some worried. Some cryptocurrency investors and industry leaders thought her words were powerful, but many people criticized her for "special treatment" specifically targeting black people.
Dr. Ali Emda of Morgan State University said that research shows that more than a quarter of black Americans own cryptocurrencies, which is much higher than the proportion of white people. He said that someone should have stood up to support cryptocurrencies a long time ago, and although Harris came a little late, she finally came.
Dr. Emda also said that clear regulations can make innovation smoother and help black communities take the lead in new technologies, but he also reminded that community leaders must actively participate in policy making to ensure that policies really meet their needs.
But some people don't buy it, such as Tony Bravado, co-founder of NFTCLT. He said: "I supported her two years ago, not just joining the fun in this election year." He thinks Harris is pandering, making it unclear whether she really cares about the entire black community or just wants to win over those black people who play cryptocurrency.
Bravado and his partner Shana Douglas often travel around the country to hold events in schools and universities to teach black people how to use new technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency. They said Harris's actions may cause divisions within the black community, especially between men and women.
Douglas said: "This kind of rhetoric only deepens the rift between black men and women and does not help us unite." She and Bravado both feel that a clear, neutral regulatory framework is more useful than singling out one group on the political agenda.
Since Harris released her agenda, her campaign has also been quick to clarify that all projects and initiatives in the (Black Agenda) are intended to benefit all Americans, regardless of race. Professor Tonya Evans of Pennsylvania State University also spoke out, saying that Harris was acknowledging the unique challenges and opportunities faced by black men in the digital economy, and was also part of her commitment to economic equity.
Professor Evans believes that Harris is not doing this to win over voters, but is really trying to listen to and respond to the needs of diverse voters. She said Harris is different from Trump. Although Trump is also engaged in cryptocurrency, he gives people the impression that he is trying to please voters without solving substantive problems.
Trump is also making moves. Not only did he show up at the Bitcoin conference, he also launched several NFT airdrops. Recently, he also launched a project called "World Free Finance." He said that if he loses the election, those who play cryptocurrencies will be in trouble.
However, Professor Evans still firmly believes that Harris's approach is more beneficial to the future of the cryptocurrency industry. She said that Harris really wants to integrate digital assets into her economic platform so that more people can benefit, rather than just a few people making money. Having said so much, the entanglement between cryptocurrency and ZC is really complicated. However, what we ordinary people care about is our own wallets. I hope that no matter who is elected, they can make our digital assets safer and more valuable!