Over the past few months, the entire nation has looked to the Peach State as its voters have delivered historic election after historic election. In November, the key battleground state voted
for a Democratic presidential nominee, the first time since 1992, and helped secure a win for President-elect Joe Biden. Then this Tuesday, the state had two runoff elections to decide which party will control of the U.S. Senate and, in turn, dramatically influence Biden's first term. While one race has yet to be called, Democrat Raphael Warnock is the projected winner of his race against Sen. Kelly Loeffler and is slated to become the state's first Black senator.
But none of this change happened overnight. It's all in part because of the relentless work of Black organizers—women like Stacey Abrams, Nse Ufot, and LaTosha Brown—who toiled behind the scenes to mobilize constituents, fight voter suppression, and turn out a diverse coalition of voters.
For years, ELLE.com has covered the shifting politics in Georgia and the women who've led the way. In light of this week's breaking news, we've pulled together all our stories into one place for you to read all the background. Below, our guide:
Voter Suppression Is Very Real, And Stacey Abrams Is Fighting To Fix It
Ahead of the 2018 midterms, ELLE sat down with Stacey Abrams to discuss her work registering voters and expanding voter participation in Georgia.
Three Things Stacey Abrams Wishes You Knew About Voting Rights
In 2020, Abrams, who founded the national voting rights organization Fair Fight, shared what she wants you to know about the power—and limitations—of casting a ballot.
Our Work Is Not Done Until We End Voter Suppression
LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, shares why it's time for a more radical reimagining of American democracy and the role of women in shaping that democracy.
Outraged About Voter Suppression? Here’s What You Can Do Now
Gerrymandering and voter suppression are still very real issues in the United States. The good thing? There are also very real solutions.
Stacey Abrams On Voting Rights, COVID-19, And Being Vice President
In April 2020, ELLE interviewed Abrams again about all the success that came after losing her gubernatorial race two years earlier. "Not becoming governor of one state gave me the opportunity to launch a national network in 20 states [to fight for fair elections]," she said. "We are helping reform democracy in places where it was broken and battered...I may not have won the office, but what I was able to earn for the causes I serve has been extraordinary, and beyond anything I could have imagined. Apparently, I’m a really good loser."
Why We Dedicated The 2020 WNBA Season To #SayHerName
In this ELLE.com exclusive, WNBA star Elizabeth Williams discusses why she and her Atlanta Dream teammates decided to support Warnock, the Democratic opponent of Dream co-owner Sen. Kelly Loeffler.
Why The Georgia Senate Runoff Elections Are So Important
If you've read this far, you probably already have the answer. But in case you need a refresher, here's all you need to know about the runoff elections and the work that went into getting voters out to the polls during a pandemic and a holiday season.
"That has been a core piece of our organizing, making sure people understand the power of their vote and understand that it’s literally Black people and it’s young people that dragged us across the finish line in November and are going to drag us across the line in January," Nse Ufot, CEO of the civic engagement organization New Georgia Project, told ELLE.com. "They cannot give up faith, and they cannot give up hope.