Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, is set to make a significant announcement on Thursday regarding the expansion of her anti-authoritarianism initiative. The campaign, known as 10 Steps, which she launched last year, has successfully attracted dozens of new partners to form a broad coalition. This coalition represents millions of voters across the United States, aiming to strengthen opposition to authoritarian threats within the political landscape.
Background and Launch of 10 Steps
Abrams, a Yale-educated lawyer and former minority leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, made history in 2018 as the first Black woman to secure a major party nomination for a gubernatorial race. Following her second defeat to Brian Kemp in 2022, she stepped back from the public eye, taking on a teaching role at Howard University in 2023. In response to the re-election of Donald Trump, Abrams initiated the 10 Steps campaign to organize and mobilize efforts against what she perceives as a growing threat to democracy from authoritarian policies within the administration and the Republican party.
Building a Coalition for Change
In a recent statement, Abrams highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that many Americans feel anger, fear, and uncertainty. She emphasized the need for actionable steps, stating, "They recognize that there’s a problem, but now they need to take action, and the challenge has been that while there are lots and lots of people and lots of groups out there, finding them is hard, and understanding how you fit is difficult." Abrams described the coalition as serving a dual purpose: acting as a "wayfinder" to guide individuals and a "force multiplier" to build momentum through connections.
She stressed the importance of laying groundwork before considering larger acts of resistance, such as general strikes. "A general strike is a tool, but we have to remember that those tools are parts of what has to happen, and I don’t want us to be so fixated on the cinematic moments that we ignore the infrastructure pieces," Abrams explained. She warned about the insidious nature of authoritarianism, which exploits existing societal weaknesses, citing examples like during government shutdowns where vulnerable groups suffered due to denied healthcare access.
Diverse Partners in the Coalition
The newly formed coalition includes well-known activist organizations such as Democracy Forward, Indivisible, MoveOn, and Run for Something. Additionally, Abrams has incorporated a range of civic groups with lower public profiles, broadening the coalition's reach. Notable additions include New Disabled South, Red Wine and Blue, UnidosUS Action Fund, and Gen-Z for Change.
Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen-Z for Change, expressed strong support for the initiative, saying, "Gen Z rejects the idea that we have to sit by and watch as our country descends into authoritarianism. We will not be bystanders as our democracy is assaulted in broad daylight. We’re proud to join the 10 Steps campaign and so many other partners to give young people the tools to take back the democracy and the America that we were promised."
The 10 Steps Framework
Abrams launched the 10 Steps campaign to raise awareness about the authoritarian threat in the US and provide a structured framework for resistance. According to her analysis, there are ten steps that authoritarians typically take to seize power, including attacking the media, normalizing violence, and undermining government institutions. She asserts that the United States is currently grappling with at least nine of these steps.
"We are in an authoritarian regime," Abrams declared. "This is defined as competitive authoritarianism. We have been demoted on the democracy index, and our nation no longer abides by the rule of law as a basic premise." However, she also outlined ten steps to defeat authoritarianism, with organizing and mobilizing being two critical components.
Future Goals and Community Focus
The campaign aims to unite organizations across various issues to create a national infrastructure not only for resistance but also for reclamation. Abrams emphasized the importance of rooting these efforts in local communities, stating, "The campaign is to bring together these organizations that span all of these issues so that we can form this national infrastructure, not just for resistance, but for reclamation. And to make certain that’s rooted in local community, because what they’re doing at the top only sustains itself if we decide there’s no alternative."
This expansion marks a pivotal moment in Abrams' ongoing efforts to safeguard democratic principles in the face of rising authoritarian trends, leveraging a diverse coalition to empower voters and foster collective action.
