Reverend Al Sharpton

“Recognition of civil rights leaders blended into a clear warning about the current state of American democracy as activists gathered Thursday in Kansas City. At Starlight Theatre, the Urban League of Greater Kansas City brought together civic leaders, activists and residents for its 68th Annual Difference Maker Awards Luncheon. Framed by the theme “Democracy Under Siege: Radical Resistance Required,” the program quickly moved beyond celebration. Speakers emphasized urgency, civic engagement, and the responsibility of both institutions and individuals to respond to what many described as a pivotal moment. The luncheon honored Bridget Williams, executive director of the Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City, for leadership in civic engagement and featured the Rev. Al Sharpton as both keynote speaker and recipient of the Civil Rights Living Legend Award. The Urban League also acknowledged the decades of local advocacy work of Gwen Grant, who will retire as president and CEO over the next year. From the outset, the event’s tone was set with stark language about national issues, including the rollback of civil rights protections and threats to democratic institutions. The message was consistent throughout the afternoon: This was not a moment for passive reflection, but for action. Williams, recognized for her role in shaping regional infrastructure policy and civic accountability, was described by Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson as a leader who “transforms civic life” rather than simply participating in it. Robinson highlighted Williams’ work across sectors, from labor and construction to public transit, as well as her role in efforts to hold elected officials accountable. In her acceptance remarks, Williams pushed back on the idea of individual recognition, emphasizing instead the collective nature of civic work. “Being a difference maker is not a job you can do alone,” she said. “It’s the long hours, the nights on the telephone, the things people don’t see.” Her comments grounded the event’s larger…”- full article via kansascity.com/news/local/art…

Earlier this week on The Beat with Ari Melber, I joined Ari and Molly Jong-Fast to talk about the gap between what was said on the campaign trail and what people are actually experiencing. As Ari pointed out, the same fear tactics don’t land the same when you’re the one in power. I said it plainly, it’s one thing to sell a vision, it’s another to govern. Too often, it may sound good, but when people open the box, there’s nothing there. Ari also raised how voters respond when leadership is tested in real time. And as Molly noted, these policies are now hitting real communities and real families. People can see the difference between rhetoric and results. #TheBeatWithAri

Earlier this week on The Beat with Ari Melber, I joined Ari and Molly Jong-Fast to talk about what’s happening in the country right now. As Molly pointed out, we are seeing billions spent on a war the American people still haven’t been given a clear reason for, while everyday workers here at home are struggling. I said we cannot ignore both the lack of direction and the moral cost. When lives, especially innocent children, are being lost, we have to ask serious questions about leadership and accountability. As Ari noted, this would be almost unbelievable if it weren’t so real. But this is not a game, these are real lives at stake. We deserve answers, and we deserve leadership that is clear, consistent, and grounded in truth. #TheBeatWithAri

Earlier this week on The Beat with Ari Melber, I joined Ari and Molly Jong-Fast to discuss the direction of the country and the growing divisions we’re seeing. I said plainly, when leaders lose the confidence of their own supporters, it raises serious questions about strength and direction. I also addressed the rise in hateful rhetoric. Disagreement over policy is part of democracy, but targeting entire communities is not. We have to stay grounded in truth, consistency, and basic decency. #TheBeatWithAri

You've heard me say this before, but I can't say it enough. Gen-Z has fewer rights today, than the day that they were born. But the thing that always gives me hope is how bold, unapologetic and dedicated they are to organizing and building a future they can believe in.

Rev. Al Sharpton joins NYC museum's call to stop next-door construction after Underground Railroad discovery cbsnews.com/newyork/news/a…

TONIGHT, REV. AL SHARPTON TO CONVENE HOUSTON FAITH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR CONVERSATION ON LEADERSHIP, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY   Commissioner Rodney Ellis to Moderate Evening Featuring Bishop James Dixon, State Representative Ron Reynolds, and Deputy Ambassador Arthur Asiimwe of Rwanda, with a Tribute to the Legacy of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

After the luncheon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, I’m back at NAN Headquarters hosting Keeping It Real with Al Sharpton from now until 4 PM ET on local stations, SiriusXM Channel 126, livestream at nationalactionnetwork.net, and on NAN’s YouTube/Facebook. Call in at 877-532-5797.

We are live on Keepin’ It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton, breaking down the top issues of the day. My eldest daughter/NAN Director of Membership and Special Events, Dominique Sharpton, is co-hosting live from the NAN corporate office today as I handle meetings and make my way back. 📻 Tune in 1–4pm ET on local stations & SiriusXM 126 💻 Watch the livestream on NAN’s YouTube & Facebook youtube.com/live/2_i8yU92A… 📞 Call in & join the conversation: 877-532-5797

Greeting Archbishop Ronald Hicks at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the St. Patrick’s Day luncheon alongside Mayor Mamdani, NYC Comptroller Mark Levine, and others.

Earlier today on Morning Joe, I raised the issue of affordability and how it’s impacting not just urban communities, but rural America as well. Senator Zach Wahls of Iowa laid it out plainly. From rising tariffs to increasing costs on seed, fertilizer, and equipment, farmers are being squeezed from every direction. And with global tensions driving prices even higher, many are heading into a very difficult planting season. Let’s be clear. Affordability is not a red state or blue state issue. It’s affecting families in New York just as much as it is in Des Moines and across rural America. If we’re serious about economic justice, we must address the real cost burdens people are facing, not ignore them while pushing political distractions.

Earlier today on #MorningJoe, I spoke with John Heilemann about the so-called SAVE Act and what we’re really seeing play out in Washington. This extended debate isn’t about passing a bill they know doesn’t have the votes. It’s about fueling a culture war, us versus them, to keep people divided. Let’s be clear. When you’ve already won the White House, the Senate, and the House, who exactly are you fighting? The issue isn’t fraud. The issue is access. Measures like the SAVE Act risk creating modern-day barriers to the ballot, requiring costly IDs and hurdles that disproportionately impact communities of color. We cannot allow distractions to take us backward. The fight must remain on protecting voting rights and ensuring every American has a fair shot at participating in our democracy.

This week on #PoliticsNation, I spoke about the tragic and alarming violence we are seeing across this country, from a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University to an attack on a synagogue in Michigan, both being investigated as acts of terrorism. We cannot become numb to this. Whether it is antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, or any form of hate, it has no place in a free and just society. It is on all of us to confront it and reject it, no matter where it comes from. #MSNOW

This past weekend on #PoliticsNation, I spoke with Mac Johnson of the AFGE TSA Council 100 about the growing crisis facing TSA workers. More than 100,000 DHS employees have now missed a full paycheck, with some TSA officers receiving just dollars after deductions while still expected to keep our skies safe. We’re already seeing the impact with long airport lines and staffing shortages. Workers should never be used as pawns in political fights. Congress and the administration must pass a budget and pay these essential workers before this crisis deepens. #MSNOW

This past weekend on #PoliticsNation, I was joined by Kurt Bardella and Jamie Jackson to discuss the week’s top political issues. We broke down the Trump administration’s failure to clearly justify the war in Iran, even as billions are being spent and public support remains low. The American people deserve transparency, not confusion. We also discussed efforts by Democrats to demand accountability, and the broader conversation around leadership and generational change in both parties.

This past weekend on #PoliticsNation, I spoke with Georgia Congressional Candidate, Retired Brigadier General Shawn Harris, the Democratic candidate heading to a runoff in the race to replace Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia. Harris finished first in the crowded field and says his campaign is bringing together Democrats, Independents, and Republicans ahead of the April 7 runoff against Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller. We also discussed the political climate in northwest Georgia and the broader national debate about the war in Iran and the real cost of military conflict. #MSNOW

This past weekend on #PoliticsNation, I spoke with Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton about renewed attempts to revisit the 2020 election through investigations tied to the same “big lie” that has been debunked time and again. We discussed the danger of using federal power to question legitimate election results, the threat of voter intimidation through federal forces at the polls, and why protecting voting rights must remain central to our democracy. We also addressed concerns about mass deportation efforts, new detention facilities being pushed into local communities, and the need for Congress, not one person, to debate and authorize decisions that take this nation to war. #MSNOW

I am live hosting Keepin’ it Real w/ Al Sharpton breaking down the top issues of the day. 📻 Tune in 1-4pm ET on local stations & SiriusXM 126 💻 Watch the livestream on NAN’s YouTube & Facebook youtube.com/live/zs-JbJG6Z… 📞 Call in & join the conversation, 8775325797

This past weekend on #PoliticsNation, I spoke with Indiana Rep. André Carson about the escalating war in Iran, the rising cost of conflict, and the constitutional responsibility Congress has before America enters another prolonged war. As oil prices surge and American families feel the impact at the pump, serious questions remain about why the administration has not made its case before Congress under the War Powers Resolution. We also discussed the troubling rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism tied to the rhetoric surrounding this conflict, and why leaders in both parties must reject hate and defend the principles of religious freedom and pluralism that define this country. #MSNOW

At this week’s National Action Network Saturday Action Rally, I spoke about the tradition many of us in this movement come out of and the responsibility we have to carry it forward. I grew up in the non violent tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught to me by Rev. Jesse Jackson through Operation Breadbasket. As a teenager I saw firsthand how organizing, economic pressure, and faith were used to fight for jobs, opportunity, and dignity in our communities. That tradition taught us that progress is never handed to us. It is earned through struggle and sacrifice. When we travel to Selma each year and cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, we remember the blood that was shed there so that Americans could secure the right to vote. People like John Lewis and so many others risked everything so future generations could have the rights many now take for granted. But remembering the struggle is not enough. If we say we are somebody, then we must act like somebody. We cannot celebrate the leaders who came before us and ignore the threats we face today. Right now voting rights are under attack. Efforts like the SAVE Act and attempts to weaken the Voting Rights Act could disenfranchise millions. At the same time we see attacks on diversity programs and even attempts to erase our history from schools and universities. That is why the National Action Network Convention this April is so important. From April 8 through April 11 we will bring together leaders, scholars, activists, and people from across the country to organize for the fights ahead. This is not about selfies or autographs. It is about education, mobilization, and continuing the work of the movement. And during Women’s History Month we must also recognize the strength of Black women who carried our communities through some of the darkest chapters of American history. They held families together, raised generations of leaders, and kept faith when the odds were stacked against us. Visit National Action Network on YouTube or Facebook to watch the latest #NANSaturdayActionRally in full.