The Stacey Abrams Model of Political Organising
It was only a few months ago, that political powerhouse Stacey Abrams was being passed over for the Vice-Presidentship on Joe Biden’s ticket. Today she is credited with delivering the most surprising result of the 2020 election, a Democratic Georgia. Back when Biden’s team was still contemplating candidates for the Vice Presidency, Stacey Abrams was raking in press coverage for not being good enough. Deemed “inexperienced”, “unconventional”, and even “aggressive”, journalists and Democratic leaders alike asserted that what America needed was a ticket with federal-level experience – which Abrams lacked. The tone changed when Georgia flipped blue. Now Abrams is recognized as the political supernova that delivered Black voters for Biden in a state which has not been blue in over thirty years.
Stacey Abrams bases her political success on grassroots organizing. Only days after losing the Governorship in Georgia to Brian Kemp, Abrams launched Fair Fight, a grassroots organization that provided 20 battleground states fully trained and funded voter protection teams. These voter protection teams were key in mobilizing young Democrats and Black Americans, not just in Georgia but in many states like Wisconsin.
What can the world learn from Stacey Abrams? Not every country experiences the same level of socialized politics as the U.S. touts. However, in an increasingly globalized society grassroots organizing has unfounded power. Citizens of Brazil and Poland whose domestic political turmoil has piqued the interest of the media may find value in looking at Abrams’ model of grassroots organizing in their own political endeavors. From the political resistance of left-wing Polish women to the efforts of Brazil’s indigenous population to protect their human rights, grassroots organizing may provide strength in social justice advocacy.
Fair Fight takes a dual approach to political issues by combining legal action with on-the-ground grassroots engagement. By training community leaders, lobbying for new election laws, and providing bodied support in precincts with high levels of voter suppression, Fair Fight provides a widely-encompassing effort to fight unconstitutional election processes in the United States. Addressing the community and legal aspects that inhibit minority voters from being able to cast their vote has been the core of Fair Fight’s mission. Ultimately, Fair Fight is taking a multifaceted approach to strengthening democracy in areas that have normalized voter discrimination.
Fair Fight uses litigation, legislation, and advocacy powered by these voters to achieve their social justice goals. They registered approximately 800,000 Georgia voters before the 2020 presidential election. 49% of these voters are people of color and 45% are under the age of 30.
In a 2020 TedTalk Abrams claimed that her goal is to “open the gates” for everyone who called America home. She says, “I am going to move forward because going backwards isn’t an option, and standing still is not enough.” She argues that increasing voter turnout and voter registration is essential to changing the world for the better.
Her model of organizing should be taken seriously by any liberal democracy that strives to maintain its political strength and legitimacy. For every nation like Brazil, the Philippines, Poland, and Hungary whose political majority is being tempted by “the false allure of authoritarianism,” as Abrams puts it in her Foreign Affairs piece, local participation, and renewed leadership can help facilitate a new level of cooperation between the private sector, NGOs and international bodies.
Abrams model brings politics back to people and makes issues and activism accessible. It supports all advocacy with legal challenges and provides grassroots support for legislation aimed at strengthening democratic ideals. As countries like the United States fail to deliver solutions to pressing issues like public health, climate change, and race relations, it is becoming apparent that the old ways of doing politics, behind closed doors and recognizing only certain forms of knowledge, are no longer adequate in addressing modern issues. Inclusive politics is the future. Comprehensive community organizing and creating well-established infrastructures for minority voices to contribute to legislative efforts are key for any level of social justice reform to find success in this new decade.
Stacey Abrams is a leader. She may not hold an elected position, but she is one of the most influential figures that the Democratic party holds in its arsenal. The world has a lot to learn from her, and so does the rest of America. As nations across the world continue to wrestle with their own social issues and political challenges, the Stacey Abrams model of grassroots engagement and advocacy will be a powerful tool for whichever groups reproduce it and make it their own. The future of democratic politics is inclusive politics. Abrams has most definitely shown America this in 2020.
Image courtesy of Office of U.S. House Speaker via Wikimedia © 2019, some rights reserved.
