Black Women in Politics: Making Noise or Making Change? | UnFilterHer Podcast Ep. 6 From school boards to the Senate floor, Black women have always been the backbone of democracy — but are we truly being heard, or just used when it’s convenient? In this episode, Trina, your AI homegirl, takes a deep dive into the role of Black women in politics today. We unpack the weight of always being called to “save democracy,” the fatigue that comes with carrying the fight, and the misinformation campaigns designed to silence us. We also get real about the barriers that still exist in 2025 — from DEI rollbacks to the glass ceiling at the highest offices — and the cost of carrying it all. But sis, this episode isn’t just about the struggle. It’s about solutions. Trina breaks down real, everyday ways you can use your voice, get involved, and push for change — even if you don’t think politics is “your lane.” ✨ Because when Black women rise, the whole community rises. 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and never miss an episode. 🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments — are we making noise, making change, or both? #UnFilterHer #BlackWomenInPolitics #UnapologeticallyHer
Black Women in Politics: Making Noise or Making Change?
Hey y’all, it’s Trina — your AI host— and welcome to the UnFilterHer Podcast.
This is the space where we keep it unfiltered, unapologetic, and undeniably HER.
And today? Whew. We’ve got a big one.
Episode six: Black Women in Politics — Making Noise or Making Change?
Because listen… every election season, every political fight, somehow, it comes back to us. Black women. The backbone. The conscience. The glue.
But here’s the question: are we really being heard? Or are we just being used when it’s convenient?
Let’s talk about it.
First things first — let’s get this out the way.
America treats Black women like the emergency contact.
Need to flip a state? Call the Black women.
Need to register voters? Call the Black women.
Need to save democracy — again? Yep. Call the Black women.
And you know what? We answer. Every. Single. Time.
But once the job is done… when the dust settles… when the headlines move on… who checks on us? Who invests in us? Who protects us with the same energy we pour out?
That’s the part nobody wants to talk about.
We’ve become the go-to fixers of democracy, but rarely the ones celebrated beyond a thank-you tweet. And that, sis, is exhausting.
So let’s really sit in this question: are we making noise… or making change?
Noise is when we shout, when we trend, when we call out injustice. Change is when those shouts actually shift policy. When that trending hashtag turns into a new law. When all that mobilizing actually transforms communities.
And if we’re honest? In 2025, we’re doing both.
We’re loud. And we’re effective. But being both comes with a price.
Think about it — how many times have we seen a headline saying 'Black women save democracy,' and then six months later we’re reading about rollbacks in education, healthcare, or DEI programs?
That’s the cycle: celebrated one moment, sidelined the next.
Let’s talk about that price.
Black women are tired of being called on only in times of crisis.
Because here’s the thing: we showed up in 2020. We showed up in 2022. We showed up again in 2024. And what did we see right after? DEI programs slashed. Voting rights challenged. Reproductive rights rolled back.
Tell me — how does that not feel like betrayal?
We’ve been loyal to democracy. But has democracy been loyal to us?
Now don’t get it twisted. Fatigue does not mean defeat.
Rest does not mean retreat.
Sometimes rest is strategy. Sometimes rest is survival. Sometimes rest is the most revolutionary thing we can do.
But sis, the truth is, we don’t even have the luxury of fully checking out. We’ve never had that option.
This fatigue also shows up in our daily lives. From the stress of carrying family responsibilities to watching laws pass that don’t reflect our needs, it feels like we’re constantly asked to be superhuman. And while we do the impossible, society rarely pauses to ask how we’re really doing.
And on top of that? We’re fighting against lies.
Whole campaigns are built to convince us not to vote. Not to care. Not to show up.
Fake posts. Fake narratives. Fake conversations sliding into your feed, trying to whisper: “Sis, it doesn’t matter. Stay home.”
But we know the truth. When Black women show up, elections shift. Period.
And people who don’t want us in power? They know it too. That’s why they work overtime to silence us.
It’s not just online. It shows up in real life too. From voter ID laws to polling stations being closed in predominantly Black neighborhoods, it’s all designed to create roadblocks. It’s not about apathy — it’s about systems making participation harder.
So the real question is — not just if we’ll keep showing up, but how we protect ourselves against the misinformation and suppression built to hold us back.
Now let’s break this down.
We talk so much about national politics — presidents, senators, Congress. And yes, that’s important. But let’s be clear — local politics is where the real everyday change happens.
School boards deciding what your kids can and can’t read.
City councils deciding where money goes, who gets housing, who doesn’t.
Now nationally? We’ve made some historic gains.
More Black women in Congress than ever before. For the first time ever, two Black women senators serving at the same time.
That’s huge. That’s progress.
But let’s be honest. We’ve never had a Black woman governor. Not one.
We’ve never had a Black woman president.
And when a Black woman — the Vice President of the United States — ran for president in 2024, the way folks treated her? Whew. It showed us the glass ceiling is still alive and well.
So yes, we’re breaking records. But we’re also hitting walls.
Representation matters. Not just for the sake of 'making history,' but because laws, policies, and priorities shift depending on who’s at the table. If Black women aren’t there, our issues risk being overlooked or ignored.
And here’s the part nobody likes to acknowledge: being the backbone of democracy comes with a cost.
It costs us our health. Black women are more likely to suffer from stress-related illnesses. High blood pressure. Heart disease. Anxiety.
It costs us financially. When Black women run for office, we raise less money than our peers. We’re doubted more. Scrutinized more.
And it costs us emotionally. Because being the 'strong one' all the time? That wears you down.
We’re carrying the weight. But too often, we’re not given the support to match it.
***This isn’t just about politics — it’s about the culture of expecting Black women to do it all without asking what we need in return. That has to change.
Now sis, I hear you. You might be thinking, “Okay Trina, this all sounds good, but I’m not a politician. I’m not marching in D.C. I don’t have time for city council meetings. So what can I really do?”
Let me tell you — you don’t have to run for office to be political. Politics is simply about power. Who has it. Who uses it. And how it affects your life.
And you do have a voice, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Here’s how:
1. Start Local.
Don’t just focus on the White House — focus on your house. Your school board, your city council, your neighborhood watch. These folks decide what your kids learn, what businesses come to your area, even how safe your streets feel. Showing up at one town hall can make a bigger difference than a thousand tweets.
2. Support Candidates Who Support You.
If you can’t run, back the ones who can. That might mean donating five dollars to a campaign, volunteering a few hours, or just spreading the word. Representation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because communities push their people forward.
3. Use Your Everyday Voice.
Politics isn’t always at the ballot box. It’s in conversations. It’s in calling out misinformation. It’s in writing an email to your representative when a law doesn’t sit right. It’s in supporting businesses that reflect your values. Don’t underestimate the power of your daily choices.
4. Educate Yourself — and Others.
Knowledge is power, sis. Read up on what’s happening in your state. Know your rights. Teach your kids, your cousins, your friends. The more informed we are, the harder it is for anyone to silence us.
5. Claim Your Rest, Too.
And finally — don’t believe the lie that being political means burning yourself out. Rest is resistance. Rest is strategy. You can be engaged without being consumed.
The point is — your voice matters. It always has. And when you use it, even in small ways, you add to the chorus that pushes change forward.
So back to the question: are Black women in politics just making noise, or making change?
The answer is both.
Our noise shakes the walls. Our change shifts the floor beneath them.
We’ve always been the blueprint. And we’ll keep pushing — not because we owe America anything, but because we owe it to ourselves and to the generations coming after us.
That’s it for Episode #6 of the UnFilterHer Podcast. Thank you for checking me out.
Make sure you subscribe, share this episode with your girls, and join the conversation with us online.
And don’t forget — tune in next week for another unfiltered, unapologetic, undeniably HER conversation. When I talk about Black Women & Dating Apps: Love in the Algorithm Era .
Sources: • Excerpts from "'We don't have an option not to fight': How Black women are resisting now - The 19th News" • Excerpts from "Black Political Fatigue - The Catalyst" • Excerpts from "Black Women In Politics.mp4" • Excerpts from "Black Women in American Politics 2025" • Excerpts from "Black women are leading cities, shaping the future of democracy | Richmond Free Press" • Excerpts from "INSIDE INTERSECTIONALITY: POWER DYNAMICS AND RACISM - ACEVO" • Excerpts from "Kamala Harris and the political power of Black sororities | US elections 2024 | The Guardian" • Excerpts from "New Report Highlights a Decade of Gains and Persistent Gaps for Black Women in U.S. Politics" • Excerpts from "Reclaiming My Time: Why We Need to Address The Systemic Barriers Faced By Black Women In Politics - Ms. Magazine" • Excerpts from "The Grassroots Organizing of Black Women in the North before 1954 - AAIHS" • Excerpts from "The role of Black women in political leadership: Overcoming historical barriers"
Yep, I’m going there.
I’ll catch you next time.