Davante Jennings is the new president of the Young Democrats of Georgia. He shares his inspiration for entering politics during my interview. Jennings says it was sparked by witnessing the financial strain of others seeking healthcare. Also, he emphasizes the importance of Black men’s involvement in politics to hold officials accountable. I asked him about the idea of Black women being the backbone of the Democratic Party and where Black men fit in that spectrum.“I think a lot of it has to do with the idea of, ‘I cast the vote, it didn’t go my way’, Jennings explains. That’s politics. But, you need to go hold elected officials accountable. What do these elected officials do and who’s responsible for what? Once Black men, specifically start to realize their roles, what they [do] control, and how tangible it is to actually change these things, especially locally. I think that’s when we’ll start to be like, ‘I get it. This is why I should get involved.'” Involvement is the keyRegarding involvement, Jennings says when the ticket flipped from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris, the enthusiasm spiked. He says YDG chapters experienced a 34% to 37% increase in membership statewide. Some chapters saw their membership double. Also, the YDG chapter at the University of Georgia now has more than one hundred members. “I feel like I stepped into this role at the perfect time, because now it’s a great opportunity for all,” explains Jennings. Now I’m interested in bringing them in and keeping the momentum going. Let’s keep the excitement going.”During the interview, Jennings also highlighted the need for paid internships for young Democrats to support legislators. He says Young Democrats is advocating for policies like cannabis reform. Plus he’s supporting more safety equipment for public bicycles and addressing racial proficiency in traffic stops. Jennings also stresses the importance of mental health support for Black men. The post Davante Jennings takes over as president of Young Democrats of Georgia appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.