Running a small business has been a “special experience” for Mimi Striplin, the 31-year-old owner of The Tiny Tassel in Charleston, which sells jewelry, whimsical clothing designed by her mother, and goods made by other Black women-owned businesses. Her local community has helped uplift her business, she said, but she’s also experienced the hard times that come with entrepreneurship, especially now.
When she was invited to meet with President Joe Biden a few weeks ago as part of a small business roundtable ahead of the state’s Saturday primary, she had a simple message for him: see us.
“I wanted him to think about faces like mine when he is speaking on policies and really moving things,” Striplin, who is also Asian American, told CNN.
To win reelection this year, Biden will need Black voters like Striplin – who voted for him in the last presidential election and plan to support him again – to rebuild the coalition that helped propel him to the White House in 2020.
For South Carolina Democrats, being the first sanctioned primary isn’t just about putting Biden on the right footing, but a chance to draw attention to local topics after years of watching candidates cater to the problems facing Iowa and New Hampshire voters.
Hear more about what Black South Carolina voters are saying by reading the full story and watching the CNN report below:
