The South Shore Press continues its series for Black History Month, focusing on black/brown people who espouse conservative views.
This week, the focus is on Dion Powell, a member of the Conservative Party of New York and former candidate for the NYS Senate.
Dion began his political life as a Democrat. He helped found the Bronx Young Democrats and became the chair of the Caucus of Color for the New York State Young Democrats. Powell was a community liaison for Assemblyman Michael Blake (D-Bronx) from 2019 to 2022.
Over time, Powell became disillusioned by what he saw in the Democrat Party.
“I saw how much corruption there was in the Party,” Powell said, referencing what he considers a co-opting of the Democratic mission statement.
Powell ran unsuccessfully for election to the NY Senate in the Bronx in 2024 but gained 25% of the vote against the Working Family Party candidate and remains active in Conservative politics.
Asked about what he thinks about the common refrain that Black voters all think alike, and they vote Democrat all the time, Powell said, “I feel as though that way of thinking is wearing off. Thanks to modern technology, we've all found each other. We (Black Conservatives) all are no longer the odd men out as ‘Uncle Tom’ sell-outs. We are no longer outcasts amongst our own people.”
Popularity also plays a role in politics. Powell said, “We made it cool to wear the red hats. We made it cool to associate with these wonderful people in the streets. Once black people make it cool, word spreads the great black wall of silence breaks. That's what I think put President Trump over the top - plus he came to the Bronx where I’m from!”
Powell is heavily involved with Blexit NY, a conservative campaign founded by Candace Owens to encourage African Americans to quit the Democratic Party.
“We have chapters in 48 States, DC, and 16 historically black college campuses. It’s revolutionary and we have a community now,” Powell said. “The great black vote has been fractured from the same old script that produced no results. Democrats promise us hope but don't deliver us effective help.”
Powell tells a story of planning a Blexit rally in New York City where Blexit was so demonized by the Left that they had to move the venue from Brooklyn to Queens. Powell recounts how they were able “to guilt and shame all the elected officials in New York who weren't black for attacking a pro-black organization. We used their script against them.”
They used the image of a little white girl putting her hand over the mouth of a little black girl representing white Liberals trying to stifle black Conservative voices.
“We put all the elected officials on blast. We did a lot of social media. It got so bad for them (Leftists) that they retreated. By the time the rally happened, we had ZERO protestors.”
Powell opined on why he thought President Trump made such gains in black/brown voters saying the ‘red pill’ for many black voters was the crush of illegal immigrants into cities and all the services given to them while black/brown Americans were told to stand aside.
“Once we started seeing migrants in cities like New York and Chicago get pushed ahead of us that's when it became real - that we were second-class citizens and that there may be a great replacement theory conspiracy amiss,” said Powell. “Democrat mayors fast-tracked illegal immigrants through the shelter systems where our people take two to three years to get a voucher to get an apartment.”