Georgia Must Lead the Fight to Eradicate Antisemitism & Create Opportunity for All

Growing up in Atlanta, in the shadows of the Civil Rights Movement, I saw firsthand how the hard-fought laws and protections gained in that era formed the bedrock of a more equal society. History came alive for me as a child, listening to stories about my Aunt Ruby Doris Smith-Robinson, a student at Spelman College who became a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Her willingness to stand up for what’s right and take action in the face of bigotry and injustice inspired me as a young child and led me to pursue a career in public service.

Today, we see attempts by some extremist groups to erase the progress of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s especially important in these times to courageously stand up to hatred in all its forms, and to fight for a state and a country where we are judged not by our race, heritage, gender or religion, but by the content of our character.

Inspired by my life experiences, I am running for governor of Georgia to stand up against the chaos coming from Washington, D.C., and work to build a more affordable and prosperous future for every community in Georgia. I will take action as governor to lower the costs of groceries and housing, to expand Medicaid in order to keep Georgia hospitals open and lower healthcare costs, to invest in our schools and to restore Georgia’s reproductive health laws to a Roe-era standard. My agenda is about creating hope and opportunity for Georgians – but none of that is possible without also standing up for a fair and equal society where everyone has opportunity. That means that we must stand up as a state against antisemitism and hate in all its forms.

The rise of hate in this country was particularly visible to me on Oct. 27, 2018, when 11 innocent souls were lost in the Tree of Life Synagogue attack in Pittsburgh. As Mayor, I stood with Atlanta’s Jewish community in that moment of grief and fear. In the weeks that followed, my conversations with Atlanta’s Jewish community affirmed my belief that we cannot treat antisemitism as isolated incidents — it takes all of us working together to confront antisemitism directly by rejecting conspiracy theories and hateful rhetoric and making it clear that antisemitism has no place in the state of Georgia and our nation.

Every person deserves to practice their faith openly and safely, and Jewish Georgians should know that their state stands firmly with them. That is why, as Mayor, I took swift action to bolster security for Atlanta’s synagogues and Chabad centers following the Pittsburgh attack and joined the U.S. Conference of Mayors United Against Antisemitism Initiative as a sign of my commitment to eradicating antisemitism.

As Governor, I will increase funding for the Funds for Protection of Communities grant to at least $10 million to protect houses of worship, including synagogues, JCCs and Chabad centers that have faced increasing threats. I will also affirm Georgia’s special relationship with the State of Israel over decades rooted in shared democratic values.

I believe that Georgia’s best days lie ahead. As governor, I will always put Georgians first, and will spend every day working to ensure that every Georgian has a chance to thrive and succeed – and that our state stands strong against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.