Description: "Voter suppression has plagued America since its inception, and so has the issue of identity--who is really American and what that means. When tied together, as they are in our modern politics, citizens are harmed in overt, subtle, and even personal ways. Stacey Abrams experienced the effects firsthand, running one of the most unconventional races in modern politics as the Democratic nominee for the governorship in Georgia and the first black woman major party nominee in American history. Abrams did not become governor, but she will not concede. And the reason she won't is because democracy failed voters ... Suppression and identity altered the 2016 presidential election--and will do the same in 2020. But progress can win, and here Abrams lays out how ... [she] draws on extensive national research from her voter rights organization, Fair Fight Action, and her 2020 Census effort, Fair Count, as well as moving and personal anecdotes from her own life ... [and] those who have fought for the vote and the right to be seen throughout our nation's history, linking them with how law and policy deny real political power"--
Brief description: Stacey Abrams is an author, serial entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO and political leader. After eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Minority Leader, Abrams became the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, where she won more votes than any other Democrat in the state's history. She has founded multiple organizations devoted to voting rights, training and hiring young people of color, and tackling social issues at both the state and national levels; and she is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Abrams is the 2012 recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award and the first black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States.
Review Quotes:
A People Magazine Book of the Week
"Our Time Is Now is not a political memoir or a long-form résumé; rather, it is a striking manifesto, a stirring indictment and a straightforward road map to victory...She portrays her constituents and their concerns in such a way that they feel more actual than symbolic, more individual than indicative. When she turns her gaze onto her family, her narrative gifts are in full flower."
--Tayari Jones, The New York Times Book Review
"Stacey Abrams's powerful, deeply moving book shines a bright light on the ongoing attacks on the sacred, constitutional right to the ballot. Stacey provides everyday Americans and political leaders alike with the tools that are urgently needed to confront and defeat the forces that seek to deny Americans their voice in our democracy. The right to vote is the foundation of our freedom and a key pillar of our democracy, and we must all fight to ensure that all Americans have a say in their nation's future."
--Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
--The Washington Post "Stacey Abrams's Our Time Is Now outlines a dynamic blueprint for how each of us can reshape the future of our democracy. Her ability to rise above her own political struggles and transform her learned experience into a saving grace for marginalized communities is breathtaking. With each page, she inspires and empowers us to create systems that reflect a world in which all voices are heard and all people believe and feel that they matter."
--Kerry Washington
"A detailed exposé of how our democracy has been eroded--and a plan to fix it--from an up-and-coming national leader. If you are feeling hopeless about politics, this well-informed blueprint for change may begin to restore your faith."
--Kirkus Reviews, *starred review* "No one understands the dangers or realities of voter suppression quite like Abrams. Her expertise and passion for the rights of underrepresented people should be igniting to anyone who cares about democracy. Sign me up for the future that Stacey Abrams envisions."
--Hasan Minaj, host of "The Patriot Act"
"[Abrams'] practical approach is inspiring, even comforting, in the current moment."
--People "From climate change to income inequality, voter suppression is threatening to undermine the most important issues facing our country today. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to see our democracy reflect the will of all people, and not just the will of America's most privileged."
--Issa Rae, writer and producer "For a nation in the throes of a pandemic and wracked by four years of polarized politics, this is an important and timely book."
--Booklist, (starred review) "Stacey Abrams is not only a passionate advocate of democracy, but also an inspiring example of how to practice it. In Our Time Is Now, she exposes systematic voter suppression efforts across America, and tells us what we need to do to fight back. This book is an essential toolkit for citizens of all backgrounds who believe, as I do, that democracy is not a spectator sport."
--Madeleine K. Albright, former United States Secretary of State "Following her historic run for Governor of Georgia in 2018, Stacey Abrams led a nationwide effort to empower and enfranchise voters to participate in our democratic process. With Our Time is Now, she's now set out a comprehensive roadmap for engaging those voters, tearing down barriers to participation, and making our democracy live up to its highest ideals."
--Julian Castro, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development "[An] impassioned and carefully researched account...Blending personal history, statistical analysis, and detailed policy proposals, Abrams presents a persuasive, if wonkish, argument that any progressive legislative agenda must begin with voting reform. Liberals will be inspired."
--Publishers Weekly "Stacey Abrams's new book isn't a traditional political memoir...[it's] an in-depth history of voting rights in this country and an analysis of what the future may hold if lawmakers fix voter suppression nationwide--or if they do not."
--Fortune