FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, August 26, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

[Richmond, Virginia] – The campaign of Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Melina Abdullah is excited to announce that they have successfully met and surpassed Virginia's signature requirement for ballot access, securing their place on the presidential ballot for the 2024 general election in Virginia. This significant achievement reflects the dedication and effort of our volunteers and supporters across the state. Virginia's rigorous requirements necessitate a substantial grassroots effort, and our team's success reflects the strong support for Dr. West's vision of truth, justice and love.

Dr. Cornel West expressed his gratitude and excitement about the campaign's progress: "Today marks a joyous occasion for our movement. The people of Virginia have spoken, and their voices call for a change that upholds the dignity and worth of every individual. We are immensely grateful for the strong support and hard work of all who have helped us reach this moment." Dr. Melina Abdullah echoed these sentiments, stating, "Achieving ballot access in Virginia is a demonstration of the power of organized people. Our campaign is about bringing transformative change, and today we move one step closer to bringing our message of radical love and justice to the ballot in Virginia."

The lead Virginia volunteer, Lauren Toiaivao, added, "Ballot access in Virginia was achieved because enough voters in our communities were willing to sacrifice time, energy, and convenience in hopes of electing a true people's candidate for the presidency. Volunteers across Virginia coordinated their efforts to make meaningful change out of small, local efforts." The West/Abdullah campaign remains dedicated to expanding access and participation across the nation, advocating for policies that support the marginalized and promote a fair and just society. With Virginia now secured, the campaign looks forward to continuing its efforts in other states, ensuring that every American has the opportunity to vote for transformative change.

The West/Abdullah campaign has the signatures and minor party nominations it needs to get on the ballot in 18 states. This includes 7 of the battleground states: Michigan, Georgia, Minnesota, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia and North Carolina. For more info, see our ballot access map.

About Dr. Cornel West

Dr. West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary.

Dr. West is the former University Professor at Harvard University, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and the first Black person to receive a Ph.D. In Philosophy from Princeton University. He has written 20 books and he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He delivered the historic Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in Spring 2024.

Dr. West enters the 2024 Presidential contest at a time in which he describes a national crisis of moral bankruptcy and spiritual obscenity driven by a derelict duopoly of both major parties that equally places profits over people and the planet. West asserts that running as an Independent candidate affords him the opportunity and duty to deliver policy prescriptions incorporated by and for the people, instead of political parties beholden to corporations and special interest groups who feel no solidarity with poor and working-class people of all races, gender identities, and age groups.

The Cornel West Campaign to empower poor and working people everywhere stands at a pivotal moment in history, committed to being a true campaign for people around the globe. Our aim is and will always be to unite in solidarity with movements of truth and justice, who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system.

About Dr. Melina Abdullah

Melina Abdullah is Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter - Los Ángeles and Black Lives Matter Grassroots, where she is also Director. She is a leader in the California Faculty Association (the faculty union), both locally and statewide, and mama of three. Dr. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies. Abdullah has authored numerous articles and book chapters. Known by the moniker, Doc Melly Mel, she is creator, host, and producer of the radio programs Move the Crowd on KPFK 90.7 FM and This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580, and is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. In April 2024, Abdullah was announced as vice-presidential pick for Dr. Cornel West in his run for president of the United States on a platform of “Truth, Justice, and Love.” She is the first Muslim to run for the vice-presidency.

Learn more about Cornel West at CornelWest2024.com. 

Learn more about Dr. West’s Policy Pillars at CornelWest2024.com/Platform.

For more details and press inquiries, please contact [email protected].