Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America

by Stacey Abrams

Electoral politics is often the final barrier to social change, especially in America. Social movements rise, force change, and achieve gains; however, until the movement’s leaders can embed those wins into law and lawmakers, the successes are temporary. Therefore, when a marginalized group can get one or more of their own inside the corridors of power, it is more likely that they will see permanent change. The reality, though, is that electing someone to office cannot guarantee that they will stay loyal to the cause that got them there. More than one politician has become seduced by the power of the office and in turn refuses to jeopardize their position by taking action on the issues they once championed. When these leaders demonstrate that they have feet of clay, social movements quickly learn that quantity and quality are of equal importance. That is to say, politics can distract the most well-intentioned leaders from their purpose or, worse, weaken their commitment to the ultimate goal of social change. For a movement to use electoral power from inside the system, one person is not enough. So, to guarantee expanded access, social groups like women, people of color, the LGBTQ+, and poor communities quickly learn that they need a team of supporters—both agitating for action outside and pushing for legislation and policies inside the political process. One law, one representative, one strategy rarely succeeds in its quest for fundamental change.