Cornel West selects Black Lives Matter activist Melina Abdullah as his running mate

Cornel West has chosen university professor and prominent Black Lives Matter activist Melina Abdullah to join him as his vice-presidential running mate in his challenging presidential campaign.

Abdullah, a former chair of the Pan-African Studies Department at California State University, Los Angeles, has not previously pursued political office.

West expressed his intention to honor the legacies of civil rights icons Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King Jr. through his choice of running mate during an announcement on the Tavis Smiley Radio Show on KBLA radio.

Abdullah emphasized their joint commitment to challenging the dominant two-party narrative and promoting a more expansive and imaginative political landscape.

While West has managed to secure ballot access in three states through partnerships with existing third parties, gaining entry into California proved challenging as he lost the Peace and Freedom Party’s primary to a candidate from the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Abdullah, known for her grassroots activism within Black Lives Matter, expressed surprise at being chosen as West’s running mate, highlighting their shared faith and vision for a more inclusive political discourse.