Deray Mckesson Endorses Hillary Clinton

Deray Mckesson, the out Black Lives Matter civil rights activist, authored an op-ed for The Washington Post Wednesday that explained why he is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.

"I'm voting for Hillary Clinton," wrote Mckesson. "There is much work that lies ahead, and Clinton is ready and prepared to do the hard work. And we can, and will, hold her accountable every step of the way."

Many Black Lives Matter activists have been hesitant to embrace Clinton. Alicia Garza, one of the queer cofounders of the movement, has previously said she will not endorse Clinton. "We don't think that playing a corrupt game is going to bring change and make black lives matter," Garza told the U.K. newspaper The Guardian.

Mckesson seemed aware that his endorsement would receive criticism. "I am not naive enough to believe that voting is the only way to bring about transformational change, just as I know that protest alone is not the sole solution to the challenges we face," wrote Mckesson.

"Make no mistake, I do not agree with Clinton on everything. For that matter, there are few people in the world with whom I agree on everything," wrote Mckesson. He said he agreed with her on more issues than he disagreed. He also wrote that Donald Trump is "the first major-party candidate in recent memory who campaigns expressly on moving backward from today. It's the only way he wins."

Mckesson was one of The Advocate's 40 Under 40 honorees last year. Mckesson ran for mayor of his native city of Baltimore in June, but lost in the primary.