The 2020 Election proved to be a historical event for many reasons. Between electing first African America and South Asian woman Vice President, the first transgender senator, and the first openly gay black men in congress, this election has resulted in a diverse representation in our government. While there are many factors that contributed to the increased representation and surge in voter participation, Stacey Abrams has received much credit for her efforts that began long before the election took place.
With parents who were involved in the civil rights movement, Abrams knew that the ability to change communities was connected directly to voting. Her deep passion for politics and voting began when she was 17. Starting her political career 17 years later, Abrams rose to become the first woman to lead a party in the Georgia General Assembly and the first African American woman to lead the House of Representatives. Working for the citizens of Atlanta and protecting the Democrats in congress, she has made her mark by understanding and confronting the challenges that average Americans faced. Writing about her political career in her novel, Minority Leader: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change, she reminds her readers that being in the minority provides them with strength that leads them to the top.
In 2018, Abrams ran for governor of Georgia, but lost by 55,000 votes. While many would have accepted their defeat, she used this as a motivation. After learning that Black voters in Georgia were more likely to wait longer in voting lines due to limited or defective voting machines, she became more passionate about voter suppression. Also, seeing that over 53,000 voting applications were stalled and that 70% were from Black people, she began her fight to protect voters. Understanding that Black neighborhoods were being targeted in order to decrease voter turnout, she was fueled to fight back. The Fair Fight organization was then launched and worked to promote fair elections in Georgia and around the nation. Bringing awareness to and advocating for election reform, the organization is dedicated to voter protection and voting rights. This organization also expanded her passion for social issues and building up communities that were often overlooked.
The result of Abrams’ work finally came to light after Georgia’s votes were counted. She began to receive praise after the state turned blue. This showed great strides for the state as it hasn’t been won by a Democratic president in 28 years. By focusing her work on the Black community and registering over 800,000 young voters in Georgia, she secured the presidency for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
While Abrams wears many hats, including bestselling romance and suspense author, entrepreneur, and CEO, she continues to focus on political action and being a driving force for low income families. With her continued fight for fair elections, she understands the magnitude of the work she has done and the importance of togetherness for the future, “We changed not only the trajectory of Georgia, we changed the trajectory of the nation. Because our combined power show that progress is not only possible, it is inevitable.”