Michelle Obama Honors Stacey Abrams With NAACP Social Justice Impact Award
This year's NAACP Social Justice Impact Award recipient is none other than Stacey Abrams who was granted the award (virtually, but nonetheless still as special) from former First Lady Michelle Obama during the 52nd annual NAACP Image Awards on March 27.
Abrams is truly mostly responsible for galvanizing 800,000 new registered voters across the country during last year’s Presidential election. Her tireless work led to the election of the country’s first Black and Asian American woman vice president in Kamala Harris and Georgia’s first Black pastor representing the state in the U.S. Senate in Rev. Rafael Warnock. In her introduction, Mrs. Obama said she was especially impressed by Abrams’ ability to “double down” after losing her bid for the gubernatorial race in 2018.
“She put even more of her energy into this beautiful country of ours,” said Obama. “And she brought a whole lot of people along with her. Thankfully, she's just getting started, and I know she'll make a difference in the years ahead--a beacon of hope, a role model for a younger generation.”
As the founder of Fair Fight and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, Abrams has truly dedicated her life to action and demanding change in voter registration laws. She is unapologetic in her efforts to expose any forces that get in the way of Black citizens’ ability to exercise our rights to vote.
“I am grateful for the NAACP century of dedication to racial justice, democracy and equality. I was raised by my parents, the Reverend Robert and Carolyn Abrams, to see the challenges in our world as opportunities to act. They taught me and my five siblings that having nothing was not an excuse for doing that. Instead, they showed us by word and deed to use our face as a shield to protect the defenseless to use our voices to call out injustice, and to use our education and our time to solve the problems that others turn away from,” said Abrams in her acceptance speech.
“I share this award with all those who champion progress, equity, and the truth of who we are and who we must become as a nation. One that defends and expands democracy, that protects justice and the current promise...one that delivers equality and equity, knowing that both are required.”
Watch her speech below:
