June 5 (UPI) — Renowned activist Cornel West announced on Monday that he will run for president as a member of the People’s Party.
West is a longtime civil and racial justice advocate who has supported progressive candidates, including Sen. Bernie Sanders in his 2016 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
In an announcement video posted on Twitter, West said he is entering the race in the quest for truth and justice.
West said he supports healthcare for all, women’s rights to making healthcare decisions, slowing climate change, access to living wages and “decent housing.” In his post, he said he will fight to end poverty, mass incarceration and wars.
“I come from a tradition where I care about you. I care about the quality of your life,” West said. “We’re not talking about hating anybody. We’re talking about loving. We’re talking about affirming. We’re talking about empowering those who have been pushed to the margins.”
He also shared criticism of Republicans and Democrats, stating that neither party is forthright about the war in Ukraine, Wall Street or the Pentagon.
“Do we have what it takes? We shall see,” West said in closing. “But some of us are going to go down fighting — with style and a smile. Accenting the best in you and trying to tease out the best in me.”
West is a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, where he teaches courses on philosophy and religion. He is a former professor of philosophy at Harvard University.
The People’s Party’s platform advocates for expanding civil liberties, reallocating defense funding toward communities and banning corporate lobbying, among several other tenets. The modern version of the party was founded by Nick Brana, a former campaign staffer for Sanders.