Georgia voting rights activist Stacey Abrams visited Clark Atlanta University on Tuesday for the second annual Black Women Public Policy in the South symposium. In a room of scholars, students, policymakers, and community leaders, Abrams discussed the importance of finding ways to drive actionable policy solutions for Black women.
Nykia Greene-Young, the domestic policy coordinator for the W.E.B. Dubois Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, was the brainchild behind the event and knew that in its second year and following former Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 presidential election, she wanted to bring Black women and girls together to discuss how they can continue to fight.
“We know that Black women and Black girls are the most marginalized in the community, and if we bring policy that helps Black women and girls, then we help everyone,” Greene-Young said. “When Black women enter, the whole race comes behind it. So, it’s a pivotal time. While we have to take care of ourselves, we know that we have to work too because what’s going on right now — we have a fight, and it’s a fight for survival. And so I knew that we had to talk about it, and we had to get motivated.”
That motivation came, in part, from Stacey Abrams. Greene-Young said that when she called Abrams’ office to request that she speak at the symposium, she knew Abrams would deliver a message that would resonate. In a 20-minute speech that reminded those in the audience why she was such a persuasive force in turning Georgia blue during the 2020 presidential election, Abrams discussed the critical need for policies addressing poverty, environmental justice, affordable housing, and healthcare…