On February 1, Stacey Abrams sat down and had a conversation with the co-presidents of Spelman Fair Fight U, Gabrielle Gregory (C’26) and Mozn Shora (C’25). Stacey Abrams is a Spelman Alumna (C’91), American politician, voting rights advocate, author, former Georgia State Representative, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate. During convocation with Fair Fight U, Ms. Abrams gave insight into her journey at Spelman and beyond the gates. Abrams recalled her first time visiting Spelman when her father had a notable conversation with “Sister Prez” Johnetta B. Cole. Dr. Cole told him that rather than viewing Spelman as a protective haven, he should know that he was “sending her here to be educated and to be a stronger woman.” And it was that conversation that sold Abrams on coming to Spelman. It was empowering to hear how Abrams grew during her time as a student at Spelman, and she left the students at convocation with gems to take home. 

The first lesson was to learn to be yourself and acknowledge all your multitudes. Abrams is a multifaceted professional as an author, politician, advocate, and lawyer. Her emphasis on embracing all aspects of yourself speaks volumes to students who may feel confined in their major or in their goals.  “You have the right to be everything you want to be, the right to learn, and the right to explore,” she stated. “Spelman teaches you that you are more than enough.” 

Her next lesson was to “learn lessons, not losses.” Abrams was the first Black woman to be nominated to be Governor of Georgia, but she also lost two times in her gubernatorial race. She expressed that instead of dwelling on the losses, she found it important to learn how to walk away with lessons. It is important, she said, to learn to try, to stumble, to stand, and to know that being down is temporary. It is okay to make mistakes and in approaching growth with strives to learn, you become more than you could ever imagine. 

Her last piece of advice was to “lead from the outside.” In other words, it is okay to start leading outside the circle. Abrams had to lead at times when she was the minority and she had to work to gain support and partners. “Leadership is starting,” she noted, “it’s doing. Add your efforts and things will get better.” Leadership is not having a mass of followers and it is not based on popularity. Leading from the outside means to lead regardless of how many supporters you have or how unpopular your stance may be. If you have the opportunity to seek and implement change, start from the outside, and with vision, your goals can expand. 

After her speech to the student body, Abrams participated in a panel discussion led by the co-presidents of Fair Fight U and responded to questions from the student body. Abrams was asked about what she felt were the most pressing issues right now in our current democracy and administration. She responded that protecting the right to vote, the loss of democracy, and the loss of bodily autonomy are all heavy and pressing issues in the country. One student asked how she would advise students to handle anger with Biden’s response to the Palestinian genocide and conflict with Israel. Abrams stated that students should hold everyone accountable, including their elected officials. She acknowledged that both truths can exist at the same time, and that conflict is affecting both Israel and Palestine. She reminded students that we have the right to speak up and call out when injustice happens, but to continue to use our voice. “Silence does not equal rebellion, silence equals complicity,” she stated, reminding students that every vote we do not cast has a consequence. Another student asked how to push back against the Spelman administration when their actions do not align with students' wishes. Stacey Abrams responded with pieces of advice; to follow the rules, not skip steps, to show up, to understand why the administration makes choices, and to spread information to all. She expressed that skipping steps and not following the rules would invalidate any growth or seriousness that you had garnered. It is important to show up not only in protest but in efforts to learn. Abrams asked to attend Board of Trustee meetings after they decided to increase the cost of room and board to understand why the administration makes the choices they do. She stated that it is easier to dismantle or confront issues when you understand why the administration makes certain choices. And finally, the importance of transparency and spreading information to all parties to garner support and trust.

Finally, Abrams was asked what her biggest fear was. She expressed her deepest fear was that our generation does not realize and actualize the power we have. We have huge numbers and a larger understanding of injustice in the world than any generation before us. Yet, we are the least likely to show up. She fears that if we do not actualize our power, we will not see the change that we can garner. She also reminded students that other politicians and parties understand the power that our generation has. Attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts also attack our generation and our strength for enforcing change. It is so empowering to hear those words come from someone who is a living embodiment of making “A Choice to Change the World.” Her speech was a gentle reminder for Spelman students of the might and inclination we have for creating change on a large scale or even within our friend groups. Students walked away with gems of advice from someone who is actively making space for more voices for Black women. 

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