The Pulse
At the CBCF’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), the Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CPAR) conducted an original data collection project that culminated in two reports. Amplifying Black Perspectives: Insights from the Pre-Election and Post-Election Reports outline Black Americans’ behaviors and concerns before and after the 2024 election. Ahead of the 54th Annual Legislative Conference this September, CPAR launched The Pulse, a series of biweekly surveys designed to capture the perspectives of Black Americans at this critical political moment. To receive the surveys, click here. We will feature an archive of the survey results on this page.
#1: Fifth Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder
For this analysis, we compiled results from 87 Black adults from our CPAR research program, which is primarily composed of Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event attendees. We conducted surveys from April 15-22, 2025. The surveys were sent via email and completed independently online.
Over 80% of respondents believe the criminal justice system has stayed the same or worsened since 2020.
“While the post-George Floyd era has seen notable efforts to reform the criminal justice system and address racial inequities, the impact has been mixed. Some policies have led to improvements, but systemic disparities persist, and the momentum for change faces challenges, including political opposition and policy rollbacks. Continued advocacy and data-driven policymaking are essential to achieving lasting and equitable reform.”
— A Black female Baby Boomer
“While progress has been uneven, I believe there have been meaningful improvements in awareness, policy reforms, and community engagement since 2020. Initiatives focused on police accountability, restorative justice, and data transparency have gained momentum in several jurisdictions. However, systemic change takes time, and continued efforts are essential to ensure that reform leads to long-term, equitable outcomes. The movement sparked by George Floyd’s tragic death has pushed the conversation forward in powerful ways, and that momentum must be sustained.”
— A Black male Millennial
#2: Chronic Diseases and the Federal Health Workforce
For this analysis, we compiled results from 37 Black adults who either subscribed to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation email list or attended our Policy for the People Health Equity Summit on May 20. We conducted surveys from May 16-23, 2025. The surveys were sent via email and available via a QR code and completed independently online.
Since taking office in January, the Trump Administration has cut over 15,000 health-related federal jobs, including gutting departments that address racial disparities in health outcomes, like the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health.
Nearly all respondents opposed the Trump Administration’s cuts to the federal healthcare workforce.
House Republicans recently proposed a $880 million cut to Medicaid in the new budget, which would be the largest cut in the program’s history.
Over half of the respondents said cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would have a significant impact on them or their families, and nearly all respondents said the cuts would have some impact.
“While Medicaid does not impact me directly, this is a critical resource for many Americans, and it shouldn’t be touched unless individual fraud is identified. Concerning Medicare, I will soon need to apply for this, and this is personally critical to me.”
“The healthcare system, under Medicare and Medicaid, provides safety nets for our most vulnerable populations. If there is fraud that needs to be addressed, that’s fine. But to dismantle longstanding healthcare for millions of Americans is not the right approach.”
Over 80% of respondents believe Medicaid and Medicare should cover GLP-1s.
“GLP-1 medications are available to those who can pay out-of-pocket. I do not think that everyone who is overweight or obese should have these drugs, but there are situations in which they are definitely warranted. Therefore, they should be covered by Medicare and Medicaid.”
“Rather than solely discuss prescription drugs as a way to treat chronic diseases, we need to significantly ramp ways to educate or reeducate about how lifestyle and diet impact health from a prevention perspective.”