Stacey Abrams is an accomplished American politician, lawyer, author, and businesswoman. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and spent her formative years in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Atlanta, Georgia. Abrams is a graduate of Avondale High School, Spelman College, the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, and Yale Law School.
Abrams' professional career has been multifaceted, including working as a tax attorney, deputy city attorney, and a financial services firm executive. She has also co-founded several companies, including a beverage company and a legal consulting firm. In addition to her business pursuits, Abrams has had an extensive writing career, penning several best-selling novels under the pseudonym Selina Montgomery. She has also authored non-fiction books, including "Lead from the Outside" and "Our Time Is Now."
In her political career, Abrams served for eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, eventually becoming the Democratic Leader. In 2018, she became the Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, garnering more votes than any other Democrat in the state's history. Abrams was the first black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States, and she was the first black woman and first Georgian to deliver a Response to the State of the Union.
Abrams is a committed advocate for voting rights and has launched several organizations to promote social issues, including Fair Fight Action and Fair Fight 2020. She is also involved in promoting civic engagement and has founded the New Georgia Project, which has helped register hundreds of thousands of Georgians. Abrams is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has been a featured speaker at various forums and conferences. She is also a recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award and a current member of the Board of Directors for the Center for American Progress and Priorities USA.