A Tale of Two Georgias

Growing up in Rome, Georgia, I knew that porches were for confederate flags, restaurants weren’t for vegetarians, Sundays were for church, and people like me didn’t count as American or Southern – expecting anything otherwise was unwelcome. Sometimes I felt unwelcome, often I felt like I didn’t belong.

But as I got older, I learned about another Georgia. One with Vietnamese grocery stores all down Buford Highway, Indian dance classes at Global Mall (yes Global Mall!), a rainbow crosswalk in midtown Atlanta, small town clinics that provide women basic health services for no cost. The University of Georgia where folks from all over the state find community with friends who come from backgrounds like theirs and friends who don’t. One where calling the dawgs between the hedges on a Saturday in Athens brings together a heterogeneous nation of passionate fans. One where the legacy of the civil rights movement still runs fierce. Where immigrants are valued, their cultures celebrated. Where Southern hospitality extends to people who don’t look “Southern”. Where anyone who wants to be a Georgian gets to be. Where y’all really does mean all.

And this past year, I’ve been living in San Francisco - which is so far away from Georgia in more than one way. The distance has made me even fonder. Keeping up with the Abrams campaign has brought more joy and pride than I can say – she embodies what I love most about our state. She’s welcoming, generous, thoughtful. Also brilliant, always prepared, articulate, and enormously practical. A true Southern lady who’s also a political champion for those who have been left out for too long. It’s been one special ride.

I’m so grateful she ran. Stacey Abrams reminded us that we’re all Georgia. She makes me so unbelievably proud of my state, and she makes me feel so connected to a place that didn’t always let me think of it as home. She highlighted our strengths, our values, our willingness to bring everyone in. She mobilized a broad coalition of voters, and convinced folks who had never cast a ballot before to come out. She’s changed the way that Democrats conceptualize who’s a runnable candidate in Georgia and across the country for a long time to come.

And last night, I was left feeling like were two Georgias. The one that constantly reminded me that I was an outsider, the one with narrow definitions of who matters, the one who’s driven by fear of people who are different – that felt like Kemp’s Georgia. That felt like a Georgia that doesn’t include me and lots of the people that I care about.

But then I reminded myself that half of our state identifies with that vision of Georgia. And I care about those people too – they're friends who hold more conservative views than I do, ones who are worried about losing jobs to immigrants, those who are afraid of outsiders until they get to know them, even folks who just don’t think that a single black woman is the kind of leader we should elect. I love and have been loved by this Georgia. Looking back on the years, I am grateful that I’ve built relationships with people who see the world very differently from me. It’s taught me that deep down that all of us in Georgia want security for our jobs or for when our family gets sick, we want our way of life to be respected, and we want our next generation to have the best future possible.

I see that. I don’t want Christian friends to feel like their religion isn’t respected, or for conservative friends to feel like liberals think they’re stupid (conservatives are not). I don’t want working class Georgians to fear that immigrants are taking their jobs (I want there to be enough jobs to go around for everyone). I don’t want white people to lose their sense of history and culture (but it might be worth examining how that history is complicated). I don’t want rural Georgia to feel left out (it totally is, and in a lot of ways). I really do believe that Georgia is better because of all of us. There are a lot of divisions in our state, but I know we still share so much.

And I know Kemp has been capitalizing on those fears. He spoke about building a “beautiful red wall” around Georgia to keep the blue wave out. What exactly does that mean? What exactly is he trying to push out? Why does his vision for Georgia include only a narrow slice of our state?

Adding a few vegetarian items to the menu doesn’t have to make the fried chicken less important. Celebrating Diwali doesn’t have to make the Christian faith less important (happy Diwali to you!). New Georgian immigrants can take on jobs that make our state better without taking away jobs from old Georgians (they can, it's possible, it just takes some creativity in luring more jobs to the state). Folks in poverty don’t have to drain resources from the middle class (especially when the wealthiest in the state get all kinds of tax exemptions). Allowing people express themselves through ways that make them feel whole, that doesn’t have to infringe on *anyone’s* way of life. I believe so much in Georgia that I believe it’s big enough for all of us.

The votes have been split; ideologically, we may have two different visions for the state. But at the end of the day - we’re still one Georgia. We have an enormous range of beliefs and perspectives and experiences, but we’re in this together. We need a leader who can honor these differences while still fighting for a future that includes us all. That’s why I’m glad Abrams hasn’t conceded yet.

When Abrams talks about education and healthcare and the economy, she includes everyone. She wants to improve public education for all kids across the state, not just the ones whose parents voted for her. She wants to expand healthcare access so that it’s easier for everyone to see their doctor, regardless of their political leanings. She wants to attract a diverse set of industries to set up in our state because she wants better job opportunities for everyone.  She knows that we’re stronger together, and she sees herself as a leader for all of Georgia – not just a select few.

A Georgia that transforms our differences into strengths, believes that no one should get left behind, and stands up for values like kindness and integrity – that’s my Georgia and I hope that’s yours too.

xoxo

Juhi