Angie(r) Avenue

By Lucius Gantt

I spent my first few years of life living on Angier Avenue in one of Atlanta’s most dangerous neighborhoods called “Fourth Ward”. Everyone, friends and neighbors called me “Bay Bro”. If you don’t know, that short for “baby brother”.

     Fourth Ward included a depressed but well-known area called “Buttermilk Bottom” and also the world-famous Auburn Avenue, where many famous Black churches and Black businesses were located. Angier Avenue became the beginning of my path to become the truth-teller that I try to be.

I guess you can call me an “Angie”.

       Another Angie, democratic socialist Angie Nixon, a former member of the Florida State House of Representatives, recently won an upset victory in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary.

      I’m basically semi-retired but I still know how to win elections. No one I know has worked as a professional (not a volunteer) in Florida from Key West to Pensacola than yours truly.

      If Angie Nixon calls me, I will help, and or, advise her. Not because she is Black, my attraction to her campaign is based on her fearlessness to stand up and speak out for her constituents and for herself.

      Angie has to watch out for modern-day carpetbaggers. The state and national Democratic Party supported her opponent in the primary but will rush to “support Angie” in the Florida General Election.

       Angie will be told, “We’ll donate money to your campaign but you will have to hire who we want you to hire”. Hmmm? Perhaps Nixon will be told to hire her primary opponent’s political professionals who Nixon embarrassed on her own with a political butt-whipping.

       Angie will be told to use Blacks in Florida as untrained volunteers because Black political professionals are inferior.

       Well, history is the best teacher. Florida has had Black political professionals play prominent decision-making roles in political purchasing transactions like media production, placement, and purchasing. Blacks have worked as principal statewide political consultants for statewide candidates like Florida Supreme Court retention candidates, Florida Insurance Commissioner candidates, Florida Constitutional Amendment efforts, and provided political services for Congressional candidates, several Florida House Speakers and Senate Presidents and media services for a long list of state and local candidates.

      The Florida Conference of Black State Legislators are very familiar with Black political professionals, ask Lamar or Miriam.

      Anyway, Angie, be careful. Black voters and Black candidates have both been misled, misinformed, tricked, trapped, and bamboozled by charlatans and pretenders who make false political promises while posing as friends of Black candidates, acting like they will fight for the interests of all citizens, and by lying saying that Black men and women are politically inferior, governmentally incompetent, and unable to influence and generate votes by voters of all races, creeds and colors.

        Best wishes, Angie Nixon. Black political professionals know who you are. I hope you hire a sister or brother with political expertise who can at least watch your back when campaign dollars are being misspent.

        If you get “tricked”, you’ll get trapped.

        Your people are just as talented as you are. I hope you take some us with you on your ride to political victory.

        My trip down Angie(r) Avenue brought me and my company All World Consultants brought me worldwide recognition. I hope the political team you assemble can do the same for you.