A Seat at the Table: Let’s Talk About Racism

Tonight, I am pulling out the table and setting out a chair. I want Americans of every race, faith, and background to join a serious conversation about racism, division, and the country we can build together.

God sometimes places people in our lives to help us in ways we do not expect. They may not look like us, come from where we come from, or belong to the group we know best. If we push people away because of those differences, we may miss the good they could bring into our lives.

We share this country and this world. None of us can make a life alone. We need one another, and we need to learn how to live, laugh, work, and care for one another across color, creed, and culture.

Love was how I was raised

I have never disliked someone because of the color of their skin. My mother and father raised us to love people and treat them like family. We grew up among Black, white, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Filipino, and other relatives and loved ones. What mattered was the love we shared.

If you have spent time in Louisiana, you may have heard someone call you “baby,” “sweetheart,” or “love.” That warmth often comes with a good meal and an open door. We eat love in Louisiana. We breathe love in Louisiana.

Louisiana is not perfect, and neither is America. Racism exists in communities across this country. I became more aware of how deeply it divides us as I grew older and entered politics. I also came to see how division can be used for political gain, while some elected officials forget the people who trusted them and turn their attention toward themselves. There are public servants who truly care, too. They deserve to be recognized for serving with integrity.

Racism weakens the whole country

I believe racism is a disease of the heart and a cancer in our national life. It eats away at trust, separates neighbors, and makes it harder for working people to stand together. Racial division can also serve as a strategy for powerful interests that benefit when ordinary Americans are kept apart and focused on one another instead of the problems we share.

We should face our history honestly and repair injustice where it exists. Moving forward does not mean pretending the past never happened. It means learning from it, refusing to pass hatred to another generation, and building a future where every person is treated with dignity and equal respect.

Let’s have the conversation

As a candidate for President in 2028, I am inviting Americans into this conversation with humility. I do not claim to have every answer, and I do not believe one person can solve this alone. But I am willing to pull out the table, make room, and listen.

If you hold racist beliefs, I invite you to share respectfully what shaped them and to hear from people whose lives may be different from yours. I ask everyone who joins to keep the conversation honest and civil. No fighting, insults, or personal attacks. This invitation is for the American people, regardless of color, religion, or gender.

My grandmother taught me not to hate people because they hate me. Treat people with kindness, she said, and you may help change a heart. A smile, a kind word, and a willingness to listen can open a door that anger keeps shut.

If you woke up today, you have another chance to make a difference in someone’s life. Let’s use that chance to choose love, reject racism, and move forward together.

Together we rise. Together we thrive.

God bless you, and God bless America.