“When We Vote, We Win”: Stacey Abrams Calls For Defense Of DEI And Democracy At Essence Fest 2024 – Essence

“We have the power to change the world. It starts with us. It starts with this election,” said Stacey Abrams, who will always come through with a word. 

During her fireside chat with MSNBC host Joy Reid at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture, they discussed the attacks against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, the devastating implications of Project 2025, and why Black communities must show up to vote in November.   

Abrams broke down how DEI has always been a part of the DNA of our country since its inception. “They’ve (the conservative movement) been at war as long as we’ve been here, and it’s because of what DEI means: diversity means all people, equity means fair access to opportunity, inclusion means having a pathway to the American dream.” Her latest initiative, American Pride Rises, seeks to protect the 200 years of progress made by movements from civil rights and gender rights to labor rights.

Abrams addressed the audience, debunking the conservative narrative and misinformation prevalent in the media. She highlighted the current lawsuits against the Fearless Fund and Hello Alice, which are important DEI initiatives aimed at supporting minority entrepreneurs. She also emphasized that discrimination based on race remains against the law, and thus, corporations discontinuing their DEI programs are making a deliberate choice, not one mandated by law.

During the conversation, Abrams, who was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial race but lost to Republican Brian Kemp, also asked the audience if they spent money in America. When the entire audience raised their hands, she responded, “If we spend money, we have the responsibility to hold companies accountable.”

The combination of Reid and Abrams meant a master class of history and law, especially when the conversation turned to Project 2025. Reid highlighted Abrams’ experience as a visionary and disruptor, succeeding in getting 90% of Black Georgians registered to vote, while Abrams shared how Kemp continues to pass extensive voter suppression bills in response.

It’s an example of why she is so passionate about us voting to make sure the conservatives behind Project 2025 don’t completely dismantle our hard-earned rights, such as access to medical (especially reproductive health) care, education, and jobs. “When we vote, we win; therefore, they want to keep us silent, so we lose,” she said.

The audience’s questions addressed how we stand up for ourselves and DEI in our workplaces, what teens who are too young to vote can do, and if Abrams plans to run again.

Abrams offered that we can “point out the success of DEI” at our workplaces by highlighting how DEI is good business; it’s proven that diversity, equity, and inclusion are profitable. She also said to remind businesses that race-based discrimination is still illegal. To a 17-year-old young woman in the audience, Abrams advised her to “speak up even if you can’t vote because you know adults who can.”

She also encouraged the teen to find friends with a similar vision, not get overwhelmed by the amount of information on social media, and imagine a better America for herself and her friends. “Your friends don’t have to be famous, but they gotta be true,” Abrams emphasized.

When asked whether she planned to run again, Abrams replied with a look of determination, “They’re not getting rid of me that easily.”