Stacey Dash, an actress and former Fox News contributorwho has argued that both Black History Month and BET should not exist and has referred to actor Jesse Williams as a “Hollywood plantation slave,” is running for Congress in Southern California.
Dash, 51, best known for her role in the film “Clueless,” filedpaperwork on Feb. 26torun for a seat in the 44th district, which covers Watts, San Pedro, North Long Beach and Compton. The district is currently represented by Democrat Nanette Barragn.
But Dash, a supporter of President Donald Trump, will have to compete against Compton Mayor Aja Brown, a Democrat, who will reportedly announce on Thursday that she’s throwing her hat into the ring.
According to TMZ, Brown had no intention of running until she was contacted and urged by a number of members from the California Congressional delegation on the day Dash announced her intentions. In 2013, at age 31, Brown made history as the youngest mayor ever elected in the city of Compton. She was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second term in June.
Now at age 35, the graduate of the University of Southern California is continuing the “New Vision for Compton,” which is a revitalization strategy centered on 12 key principles that focus on family values, quality of life, economic development and infrastructural growth.
Brown started Compton Empowered in June 2014. The community-based gang reduction and intervention initiative focused on empowering ex-gang members to take back their neighborhoods through peace treaties, unity activities and employment opportunities.
“Compton Empowered met bi-weekly in a neutral location to discuss pressing issues, potential conflicts and deflect rumors between gang members that may incite violence, all of which resulted in a decrease in homicides of nearly 50 percent during the first six months,” Brown wrote in a column forCNN Moneyin 2016.
“While, not every gang is at the table, the majority are, and they are risking their lives every day to create a safer Compton.”
Last week, Brown invited Compton middle school students to the Dollarhide Community Center for a special screeningof Disney’s (No. 36 on theFair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companieslist) film “A Wrinkle in Time”and Q&A with director Ava DuVernay, who is a native of the city.
Weeks before filing the paperwork to run for Congress, Dash posted on Twitter Feb. 9 that she had been encouraged to run for office:
A number of people online and off have suggested I run for political office. I wanted to see what my online community thinks of this idea as I mull the possibilities. Thoughts pic.twitter.com/L71fF0NnXR
Stacey Dash (@REALStaceyDash) February 9, 2018
Dash was signed by Fox News in 2014 and was primarily seen on the afternoon news discussion program, “Outnumbered.”
The late former Fox CEO Roger Ailes referred to Dash as“the Black girl”during her tenure, according to former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros’ sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes and Bill O’Reilly. In January 2017, Fox News declined to renew Dash’s contract.
Dash penned a scathing response to Jesse Williams’ BET Awards acceptance speech. It isn’t the first time she’s scolded Black activists.
The actress certainly made waves in 2016 when shewrote in a blog post, following the BET Awards, that the network is “keeping racism and segregation alive.” However, in 2009, she had a recurring role on BET’s scripted show “The Game.”
She also said Williams’ award-acceptance speech was “nothing short of an attack on white people.” And Dash said there shouldn’t be a BET channel, “just like there shouldn’t be a Black History Month.”
Her memoir is called “There Goes My Social Life: From Clueless to Conservative.”
“The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah said that Dash’s attempt to run for Congress is just for fame.
“She’s running as a Republican in Compton and Watts” Noah questioned on a broadcast of his show last week. “They’re neighborhoods so Black, they make Wakanda look like a Panera.”
He added, “We’d better pray that Vladimir Putin isn’t a big fan of ‘Clueless.'”
