Stacey Abrams recently won the Democratic nomination for Georgia’s governor. If she wins in November, she will be the first black female governor in the United States. Stacey Abrams is incredibly important, for people of color (and especially women of color).
Image Courtesy of Valdosta Daily Times
Stacey Abrams beat Stacey Evans, the former state representative for Georgia, who tried to appeal to moderates and independent voters. Abrams could possibly be in a position of power and that is so incredibly important for this nation. Abrams’ win for the Democratic Party in Georgia is unprecedented. She is the first black woman to be nominated for governor and she is Georgia’s first black governor nominee. She is very aware that she “will be doing something no one else has done” as a black American woman. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supported and endorsed Stacey Abrams. Her progressive views could create positive change for Georgia, a southern red state.
Stacey Abrams has received three degrees from Spelman College (an HBCU), University of Texas and Yale Law. She has put her education to good use and has worked to better Georgian lives. She founded the New Georgia Project, which resulted in 200,000 new voter registrations for people of color. She is also a co-founder of a firm that helps small, local businesses grow. She became the first woman to lead the Georgia General Assembly and is the first black American to lead in the House of Representatives. She has helped stop the raising of taxes on the poor and middle class and “has passed legislation to improve the welfare of grandparents and other kin raising children,” as well as increased funding for them. While this is only a handful of her things she has done, her accomplishments list is crazy extensive and this makes her an excellent role model and nominee for Georgia’s governor.
As a black woman, she can represent women and people of color in Georgia. She has been recognized by Georgia’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, its Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the National Urban League, EMILY’s list (a pro-choice political action committee), and Planned Parenthood. Not only can she represent black Americans, but she has been acknowledged by other groups and can represent them as well. Her achievements are influential and she is incredibly experienced. If she wins, she’ll be able to be a role model for many people. Someone like her in power is important because representation matters, especially in a time where many people don’t feel safe in the U.S.
Representation is so crucial for everyone, especially younger individuals in this country.