Independent candidate Cornel West named Melina Abdullah as his vice presidential nominee on Wednesday. Abdullah, a professor at California State University, has an extensive background in organized labor and social justice.
West announced his selection of Abdullah during an interview with radio host Tavis Smiley of KBLA 1580’s Tavis Smiley Show. A full recording of the interview with West, shared via X, can be heard below:
According to information from Melina Abdullah’s website, she is a professor and organizer with a background in academia, organized labor, ethnic studies, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Abdullah is a professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University and involved with several organizations focused on community empowerment and social justice initiatives. She also has a background in hosting radio programs and public education platforms.
The campaign also issued a press release regarding Abdullah’s selection following the Tavis Smiley interview, describing it as “a significant milestone in the campaign’s commitment to fighting for a society and world based on justice, equality, and the empowerment of poor and working class people of all colors.”
Abdullah herself is also quoted as saying she is deeply honored and humbled to join the campaign, emphasizing that it offers a real vision for the world “that stands in opposition to oppressive forces and holds fast to the universal principles of truth, justice, and love.”
Cornel West being Cornel West again. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got national news hype of some sort out of his vice-presidential announcement, including through the use of various leaks before it became official. West just “drops it out there.”