Bernie Sanders Gets Straight to The Point With New Ad Campaign

Every day I sit with the harsh reality that my beautiful black son WILL be pulled over and racially profiled with no probable cause, and face the possibility of being brutally beaten, or killed unjustly, just because of the color of his skin. I pray for him every day, but my tears will not protect him. They will not keep him safe. However, my actions and the time and energy I put into making effective, sustainable change, can and will.

“I think we need to believe in a leader like Bernie Sanders. People are dying. This is real. We need a president that will talk about it. Bernie is a protester. He’s not scared to go up against the criminal justice system. He is not scared.” – Erica Garner

Every Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, and Travyon Martin headline that I read, serves as an additional reminder of how much further, as a nation, we have to go. There are only so many people that are willing to speak out on the matter, and even less willing to offer visible substance behind their words. So, when I stumbled across presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders and his recent criminal justice campaign, featuring Erica Gardner (Eric Gardner’s daughter), I was shocked.

The major takeaway I took from this commercial, outside of why I should be supporting Bernie Sanders, or at least learning more about his policies, was how his campaign did an excellent job of connecting with voters through the art of storytelling. Erica Gardner’s story was raw, horrific, inspiring, and a story that hits home for many people and families who are victims of police brutality.

The emotional connection conveyed through this video takes voters beyond being merely being loyal to the campaign, it pushes voters to advocacy. Sanders’ willingness to take on this issue, in such unique and compelling way, establishes a level of trust with voters. Storytelling is the number one driver of value, and it was genius to not only tell Eric Gardner’s story, but to tell it from the perspective of the people who suffered the most from his death – his immediate family.

Its one thing to write some voter-friendly material on your campaign website on the topic, it’s another to collaborate with people that are on the front lines, sharing their stories and spreading real messages. Sanders’ team did an excellent job of taking this emotional, racially driven topic, and merging it with his presidential policy – in a authentic way. No mudslinging or smoke screens, just a timely, honest story, that voters can emotionally connect with.

This video has left me no choice but to look deeper into Sanders’ policies. I owe it to my son, I owe it to myself, I owe it to my country.

What did you think of Bernie incorporating the Eric Gardner story into his campaign? How did you feel after watching?