Symone Sanders Townsend

Greetings.

Clock it down.

All right.

Oh, which one?

Me and Jonathan Capehart over here like, which one?

First, I just want to say thank you, Rachel.

Thank you to the esteemed panelists.

And thank you, Reverend Sharpton.

Reverend Sharpton is the only person I know, it must have been 10 years ago,

He had a summit at somewhere in New York, it was at a college, and it was a media summit, but all day long it was about the impact that the work that Reverend Sharpton has done over his life and all the people that he has done it with, what that impact has been and where we need to go.

And I was looking around and Reverend Sharpton sat on the front row for every session.

as the people came through and talked about what he did, what they have done together, what the work they still need to do.

And it was the real-time example of him getting his flowers while he is still able to receive them, but also encouraging everybody else.

And so I always stand in awe of Reverend Sharpton, and I'm always happy to be here.

Give it up for Reverend Sharpton.

I don't want to gloss over what Ashley just said because I think it is very impactful that she's making the investments to expand her newsroom.

Because we often talk about how, oh, all of these things are happening and people are so busy and it's like they could miss it.

And the root is really important in our community.

And people believe the root.

When they see the root, when they see Don, when they see Jonathan Capehart, when they see Reverend Sharpton, when they see these people and these entities saying something, it matters to them.