LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright, co-founders of Black Voters Matter Fund, jointly issued the following statement in response to reports of overwhelming and unprecedented support for presidential candidate Joe Biden in Georgia:

Last night, Georgia turned blue, ya’ll. It’s been 28 years since that last happened when Georgia narrowly voted for Bill Clinton over George H.W. Bush, but there it is. 

A new South is rising, and Georgia is the beacon.  

  • Georgia has been instrumental to the civil rights movement in America and the birthplace of many of its leaders. 
  • Georgia has one of the largest Black populations in the country.  
  • Georgia has overwhelmingly faced greater challenges with voter suppression, fighting back against blatant attacks by white supremacist and racism.
  • Georgia continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases that we know disproportionately impact Black people. 

And yet, Georgia has something to say. Georgia is not going to go away so easy, thanks in part to the record turnout by Black voters across the state – from the Atlanta metropolitan area to Augusta, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, and rural areas in-between – who demanded their voices for change be heard.

  • More than 1 million Black voters cast their ballot early in the state, surpassing 2016 numbers.
  • Georgia has seen a surge in young Black voter registration and turnout.

There’s another reason why the entire country should pay attention to Georgia voters – the balance of the Senate may reside in our hands. Without either candidate obtaining 50% of the votes, both Senate seats are headed to a runoff election.

The message is clear: Don’t count us out. We have more work to do in the South for sure, but the margins are narrowing, the tide is turning, the motivation for better, progressive leadership is growing. 

Georgia is at the epicenter of this country right now and we are claiming victory. We are standing on the shoulders of Dr. Martin Luther King, Congressman John Lewis, Joseph E. Lowery, Maynard Jackson, Andrew Young, Coretta Scott King, Ella Josephine Baker, Ruby Parks Blackburn, and more. 

Count every vote. 

Can’t stop, won’t stop!

Cliff & LaTosha

Co-founders Black Voters Matter Fund