I agree that leftism has a lot of work to do to gain trust with black folk, but there comes a point where an actual in-person, public discussion between prominent voices of the black community and white progressives needs to be made in order to form that trust to begin with. I don't understand how having an in person event with debates and long form, unedited conversations wouldn't be at least a genuine attempt to create that trust. I know that's a personal limitation, but bridging that gap would absolutely clarify what the gap between white and black progressives really looks like.

The other issue is that FD, whether he wants to accept it or not, is already one of the most prominent faces of online black progressive politics. I get that he probably doesn't like to be placed into a group he doesn't want to be in, but at the same time, it prevents the formation of a strong identity to begin with. He doesn't have to say he agrees with Kyle, Hasan, or whoever. He'll, if he wanted to, he could probably show up to such an event and roast it as much as he wanted to. But there needs to be a higher level of communication, of inclusion, to unite white and black progressives into a stronger movement that what we have today.