The Illusion of Inclusion. By Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

The Illusion of Inclusion. By Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Professor Clarence Glover often speaks about what he calls the Illusion of Inclusion—the appearance of partnership without the reality of respect, shared power, or genuine engagement.

The current Texas Senate race illustrates why that lesson still matters.

If Democratic nominee James Talarico cannot build a winning coalition without relying on Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett to campaign across Texas, then the responsibility rests with his campaign—not hers.

During the Democratic primary, tensions emerged after former Congressman Colin Allred criticized Talarico over allegations that Talarico referred to him as a “mediocre Black man.” Talarico disputed that characterization, saying he was criticizing Allred’s campaign strategy rather than Allred personally.

Throughout the primary, many Black Democrats also expressed frustration that some supporters portrayed Jasmine Crockett as “too ghetto” or suggested her political style made her unelectable. Those criticisms became part of a broader debate over race, gender, and respectability politics within the Democratic Party.

Now that the primary is over, some voices have questioned why Crockett has not been more visible on the campaign trail for Talarico.

Her response deserves consideration:

“The reality is that people hold me to a completely different standard… We have never seen anybody, quote unquote, be pressured to jump into a Senate race to help out their opponent that beat them. This is the first time we have ever seen this in this country, and it just so happens that it ended up being a high-profile Black woman.”

Whether one agrees with her or not, her comments raise important questions about political expectations, coalition-building, and equity.

Texas is home to approximately 2.9 million Black eligible voters, representing about 14 percent of the state’s eligible electorate, according to the Pew Research Center. Black Texans remain one of the Democratic Party’s most reliable voting constituencies.

Yet Black voters should never be viewed as automatic supporters or campaign infrastructure to be activated only after a primary election has ended.

Votes must be earned.

Trust must be earned.

Relationships must be earned.

Respect must be earned.

Black voters are not political property. They are independent citizens who evaluate candidates, issues, and campaigns for themselves. They expect authentic engagement—not simply outreach when their votes become indispensable.

Perhaps that is what Professor Clarence Glover means by the Illusion of Inclusion.

Inclusion is not measured by campaign photographs.

It is measured by relationships.

It is not demonstrated by election-year appearances.

It is demonstrated by year-round presence.

It is not asking people to help after they have been dismissed.

Real inclusion is inviting them to the table before decisions are made, valuing their voices while strategies are formed, and respecting their leadership whether or not they are politically convenient.

Only then does inclusion become more than an illusion.

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is Senior Pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, President of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas, and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’ 33rd Congressional District in 2012.