At last night's BET Awards, Taraji P. Henson urged viewers to investigate Project 2025, a $22 million initiative by the conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation to outline the initial 180 days of a potential second Donald Trump presidency. Although the Trump campaign claims to have distanced itself from Project 2025's extensive 1,000-page proposal reflects contributions – don’t believe it. Numerous former Trump administration officials contributed to Project 2025, many of whom are expected to assume key roles in a future Trump government. The project’s scope and implications are horrifying, particularly for Black communities in the United States.

Here’s a closer look at some critical ways Project 2025 could adversely affect Black people.

One of the most concerning aspects of Project 2025 is its plan to centralize law enforcement power under the presidency, potentially overriding local authorities. This would enable the Department of Justice (DOJ) to intervene in local matters, posing a significant risk to Black cities and communities. The project includes provisions to invoke the Insurrection Act on the first day of the administration, allowing for military deployment in domestic law enforcement. This could lead to a crackdown on peaceful protests, particularly those led by Black activists.

See MSNBC Rachael Maddow break it down below:

Project 2025 also threatens to dismantle crucial civil rights protections that have been instrumental in promoting economic opportunities for Black Americans, as reported by Axios. By targeting policies from the 1960s, the initiative aims to dismantle affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The DOJ would be directed to focus on eliminating what it terms "anti-white racism," prosecuting any entities that implement affirmative action or DEI policies. This shift could significantly reduce the educational and employment opportunities for Black people, undermining decades of progress toward racial equality.

The project’s plans to roll back protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Considering there are millions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals, rescinding regulations that prohibit discrimination, Project 2025 would allow for the termination of employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This move would disproportionately affect their employment and civil rights, perpetuating systemic inequalities and discrimination.

Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of Project 2025 is its vision to concentrate unprecedented power in the hands of the president, effectively diminishing the checks and balances that underpin the U.S. government. By placing independent agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission, under presidential control, the project would erode the separation of powers and allow for the unchecked implementation of policies. The erosion of these governmental norms would reduce oversight and accountability, paving the way for autocratic governance that could undermine civil liberties and rights.

Do you know what's disgusting about Trump's "Black jobs'' comment from the presidential debate? Project 2025’s vision extends to a radical overhaul of the federal workforce, with a proposed reduction of up to two million employees. The Heritage Foundation's president, Kevin Roberts, has emphasized the need to dismantle what he describes as an "administrative state," replacing federal workers with loyalists to Trump. The convicted felon claimed “Black jobs” are being taken by immigrants. However, Black Americans make up 18% of the federal workforce. The potential loss of these jobs would not be due to immigrants but rather from Trump and his project 2025 minions.

As Taraji P. Henson highlighted, we must stay informed and vote. The future of Black America hinges on our collective response to the constant threats from the Republican Party.