--- title: I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump description: The policies of the Obama administration have done little to help people of color, yet Clinton has unwaveringly defended them at every turn. canonical: https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/ author: CJ Pearson article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-08-30T14:01:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:04:26.180Z article:section: Ideas og:title: I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump og:description: 'The future and stability of America are far more important than ego and party' og:url: https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdee2fff18a228dd3/698877c40b72e381a06e785b/cj-pearson.jpg?branch=production&width=800&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 800 og:image:height: 450 og:image:alt: CJ Pearson og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump twitter:description: 'The future and stability of America are far more important than ego and party' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdee2fff18a228dd3/698877c40b72e381a06e785b/cj-pearson.jpg?branch=production&width=800&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: Trump's Top Pastor [Watch (HLS stream): Trump's Top Pastor](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/A9Hi3DBO.m3u8) (8:46)  _Published 2016-07-18. One of the most visible pastors supporting Donald Trump comes from the most unlikely of places: the small town of Easley, South Carolina. Trump’s candidacy has thrust televangelist Mark Burns into the national political spotlight for the first time._ by [CJ Pearson](https://time.com/author/cj-pearson/) ## CJ Pearson Aug 30, 2016 2:01 PM UTC  CJ Pearson CJ Pearson Courtesy of author by [CJ Pearson](https://time.com/author/cj-pearson/) ## CJ Pearson Aug 30, 2016 2:01 PM UTC In the past 15 months, I have found myself supporting four different candidates for President: Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and now billionaire businessman and Republican Party nominee, Donald Trump. As a 14-year-old, I may not be able to vote in this election, but I am deeply invested in its outcome. Some have ridiculed me for supporting various candidates across the ideological spectrum. In a condescending [blog post](http://www.redstate.com/erick/2015/12/09/dear-cj-pearson-shut-up/) last December, conservative radio host Erick Erickson accused me of desperately seeking attention, questioned my intellectual capacity and instructed me to “shut up, and go live life.” This reaction makes one thing clear: many people in the “old guard” do not have the slightest understanding of the political philosophies of my generation. I believe that the future of America is post-party politics. I hope that in 10 to 20 years, the near constant issue of partisanship will be a distant memory. The shift is already beginning. According to a [2014 Pew Research study](http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/03/07/millennials-in-adulthood/), 50% of millennials identify as political independents. In 2004, that number was a mere [38%.](http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/millennials-independence-poll-104401) Many people in my generation support the person—regardless of political party—who they believe has the capacity and ability to lead. The future and stability of America are far more important than ego and party. That’s why I’ve decided to support Mr. Trump, and it’s my sincere belief that flocks of other young people will soon follow. The independent streaks ingrained into the hearts and souls of America’s youth are the cornerstone of the billionaire’s youth appeal. The problems of America’s young folks are [far bigger than Snapchat and emojis](http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/30/technology/hillary-clinton-emoji/)—undeniable truths Hillary Clinton doesn’t seem to understand. In the coming weeks and months, while Mr. Trump is releasing detailed policy proposals to deal with the issues plaguing young America, Clinton will likely still be doing what she seemingly does best—pandering until she’s blue in the face. While the past eight years may feel distant to some, the wounds—full of devastation and pain—inflicted by President Obama’s agenda remain fresh. As a young black male, I’ve seen my community flailing and struggling due to the disastrous impacts of the Obama political agenda, and I refuse to allow the possibility of a Clinton presidency to extend that suffering. After eight years of promises of hope and change, 2 out of 5 black boys and girls [live in poverty](http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/14/news/economy/black-children-poverty/). Compared to white Americans, African-Americans are more likely to own [fewer homes](https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/ownershipbyrace.html) and are more likely to be [unemployed](http://www.npr.org/2016/02/05/465748249/african-americans-face-uncertain-reality-despite-low-unemployment-rate). The policies of the Obama administration have done little to help people of color, yet Clinton has unwaveringly defended them at every turn. In a recent [speech](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/08/19/trump%5Fto%5Fblack%5Fvoters%5Fwhat%5Fdo%5Fyou%5Fhave%5Fto%5Flose%5Fby%5Ftrying%5Fsomething%5Fnew%5Freject%5Fhillarys%5Fbigotry.html) in Detroit, Trump pointedly said: “If Hillary Clinton’s goal was to inflict pain on the African-American community, she could not have done a better job.” Trump’s message to young people of color is simple: what do you have to lose? In my young optimistic eyes, after the last eight years of the Obama presidency, there is little left to lose. There is only room to do better, and there is only one goal: to make America great for every American. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/"},"headline":"I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump","datePublished":"2016-08-30T14:01:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:04:26.180Z","description":"'The future and stability of America are far more important than ego and party'","url":"https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/","keywords":["politics"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdee2fff18a228dd3/698877c40b72e381a06e785b/cj-pearson.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"CJ Pearson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cj-pearson/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdee2fff18a228dd3/698877c40b72e381a06e785b/cj-pearson.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"CJ Pearson","caption":"CJ Pearson","creditText":"Courtesy of author","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4470565/teens-for-trump/","name":"I'm a Young Black Man and I Support Donald Trump"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump's Top Pastor","description":"One of the most visible pastors supporting Donald Trump comes from the most unlikely of places: the small town of Easley, South Carolina. 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