Aftershock: Fred Hampton's Legacy and a Trump Triumph

The post-election shock was real. However, I believed all along that Trump would secure the next chapter of his legacy. By mid-October, it was evident that Trump was regaining influence in the polls, even after Harris’s strong launch following Biden’s dropout. Despite celebrity appearances and speeches, the Democratic left struggled to achieve coherence on the campaign trail. Their disconnect at the grassroots level, coupled with appeals that failed to resonate with disillusioned voters and everyday working citizens, left them vulnerable. As the campaign concluded, it became clear that these shortcomings hindered their ability to inspire the broad support needed for victory.

This wasn’t a Republican comeback. Despite spending 1.5 billion dollars in less than 15 weeks, the Harris campaign struggled to engage everyday citizens who felt excluded from the conversation. Persistent misinformation about Harris’s racial background and political ideology often overshadowed meaningful discussions of her policy positions, leaving many Americans uncertain about her vision. Meanwhile, political elites—with insider access—remained disconnected from the average American, who often lacks the time and resources to navigate complex political narratives. Trump, by contrast, triumphed through his relentless, ground-level campaign efforts that built momentum and sustained voter engagement until the very end. Despite holding the presidency, the Democratic Party’s loss underscored a persistent disconnect between those in power and the people they claim to represent, highlighting the consequences of insufficient grassroots engagement and outreach.

Historically, this gap is not new. Reflecting on the work of my social justice community organizing nonprofit, Urban Reformers Chicago, during the 2020 election, I am reminded of how inefficient our democratic voting process can be. On Chicago’s South Side, we set out to help everyday people register to vote as the fall presidential race between Trump and Biden heated up. Our goal was to improve access to this sacred right by bringing the registration process directly to the people. Naïvely, we assumed it would be a straightforward task. However, we quickly discovered that the process was far more challenging than we had anticipated.

The first hurdle we faced was organizing planning meetings to troubleshoot voter registration efforts while meeting certification requirements and securing permissions from local authorities. Although Illinois offers same-day voter registration, a lack of awareness and logistical challenges often hinder participation. Our hope was that promoting early registration would encourage more voters to exercise their rights. The most significant impact, however, came during our interactions with tired commuters stepping off the Red Line after long workdays. Many had never registered to vote, some looking away with a mix of shame and frustration, explaining they didn’t know how, were too busy, or had never been guided through the process. By the end, we had registered scores of new voters, empowering everyday people to make their voices heard.

There are political lessons to be learned from the Gospels' accounts of Jesus' earthly ministry. In his life, Jesus revealed his immanence by engaging intimately with everyday working people, including "the least of these" (Matt. 25:40). While his divine mission had a cosmic purpose in restoring all of creation, he worked daily to bridge gaps in grassroots relationships, embodying his redemptive presence and bringing reconciliation to both individuals and communities through his unconditional and indiscriminate love. In the same way, serving communities by empowering people to make their voices heard reflects a commitment to justice. Connecting individuals with systems of power—through advocacy, voting, and community engagement—demonstrates the kind of equity and flourishing that is deeply pleasing to God.

Just as Fred Hampton worked to close gaps in access on Chicago’s West Side after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Urban Reformers drew inspiration from his dedication to addressing immediate needs. Hampton implemented tangible solutions like free health clinics, food programs, and literacy projects—all without waiting for outside approval. His approach demonstrated that impactful change begins when leaders engage directly with their communities. Urban Reformers have sought to follow this model by prioritizing grassroots initiatives that meet immediate needs while fostering long-term resilience. Hampton’s legacy teaches us that sustainable transformation starts locally, through organizing and building institutions that command respect and empower communities.

This lesson is one we must urgently adopt in our missional efforts on community blocks if we hope to realize the true benefits of faith and politics. The change we seek will not come unilaterally from the White House or the political theater that dominates headlines. Instead, it must rise from neighborhoods and communities where people work across racial, political, and cultural barriers to create tangible change. Black liberation movements have long operated from this premise, rooted in self-determination and ground-level action. Through nonviolent protests, business boycotts, and powerful messages like Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, these movements challenged oppressive systems and inspired strategies of social justice designed to meet the unique needs of their communities.

Instead of despairing on the left or celebrating on the right, this generation of faith leaders must reclaim the legacy of MLK, Angela Davis, and Fannie Lou Hamer to address pressing issues like voter suppression, food deserts, education inequality, economic disparity, and access to quality medical care. By building direct community collectives and institutions, they can find hope and achieve tangible victories. This work is not just about solving immediate problems; it’s about laying the foundation for self-sustaining, community-rooted resilience that can endure. Organizing isn’t merely an alternative to the spectacle of national politics—it’s the backbone of a functional and equitable democracy.

America’s promise isn’t bound to any one leader or party; it lives in the actions of people who tirelessly serve the needs of their communities. This promise is realized in every neighborhood meeting, shared meal, and initiative aimed at building equity and justice. It’s time to reignite that commitment from the faith community, embracing local organizing as the foundation of a resilient society with tangible and proximate impact. If we are serious about realizing democracy’s benefits, we must transform our faith communities into incubators for producing leaders and movements rooted in social and political righteousness. Churches must lead this charge, becoming communities of empathy, advocacy, and direct engagement with the pressing needs of their neighborhoods.

Jonathan Reynolds

Founder of Urban Reformers, Georgia Chapter

Jon@urbanreformers.com

“The real question is, how do we make the gospel alive and active in our time? We do so by making the struggle for justice and freedom an inseparable part of our faith.” —James Cone

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King