Du Bois Center launches “Reflections on Democracy” series / iBerkshires.com

About 200 people gathered at Saint James Place to discuss democracy with Williams, moderated by Michael Blake, the Center for Democracy’s first visiting scholar.

Blake said Williams was the perfect person to be the first speaker in the series because you can’t talk about democracy without talking about Georgia.

Georgia is one of five states facing charges related to the so-called Fake Electors Scheme, and the only one charging former President Donald Trump. The cases include fraud, conspiracy and forgery, as well as allegations that people not selected as state electors attempted to replace certified electors and influence the vote in the Electoral College.

Williams was one of 16 Georgia electors who confirmed Joseph Biden’s election to Congress on January 6, 2021.

Following the death of her mentor and friend John Robert Lewis in 2020, the Democrat ran for Congress to represent the swing state rather than return to the state Senate. She was sworn in for her first term three days before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

A few days before the attack on the Capitol, Williams had learned from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that Georgia was among the states where the Electoral College votes would be contested, “which has never happened in this way in the history of our country,” Williams said.

She was in her office preparing to give her first speech in the House of Representatives, the seat that means so much to her because it was held by Lewis.

She learned it was her turn to speak after Arizona, but an hour later she received a flood of text messages about something happening on television and social media.

“I knew something was going on, but I didn’t really understand what was happening because, as I said, I had only been sworn in three days before,” Williams said.

“So I didn’t even have access to the House email on my phone to get the notifications, to go to the secure room, or to even know where the secure room was when I got that notification.”

Williams had to hide in her office with her chief of staff, Melanee Farrah, locking and blocking the doors with furniture, turning off the location services on their phones, and muting the sound on the television. They could hear everything happening around them while they hid in their office for hours until the all-clear was given.

She had planned to speak about democracy, voting rights, access, protecting voter rights and standing up for Georgia voters in her first speech in the House.

“We understand that you can’t put the genie that came out in 2020 back in the bottle. Georgia voters are coming out in droves,” Williams said.

“Georgia voters know we have the power in this election. We shouldn’t have to organize ourselves to escape this oppression, but when push comes to shove, we’re prepared to do whatever it takes.”

Blake said that given current events, watching the news is not particularly inspiring and that it can make people question why some people choose to get involved in politics.

But when you think about Williams and the work she did in Georgia before she was elected and everything she represents, it’s no coincidence that she’s in this role now, he said.

Throughout the event, the audience laughed and cheered, underlining the speaker’s remarks with approval.

Williams stressed that everyone must work together to preserve democracy. Strategies are being developed to make it harder for people to vote, such as banning food or water from being handed out to people in long lines and reducing early voting locations. The Election Integrity Act of 2021 allows any registered voter to challenge a voter’s eligibility indefinitely.

“Last month, I spoke with a group of over 300 volunteer attorneys who are donating their time to the state of Georgia to help us with some of these voter challenges, because voters should not have to hire an attorney to appear with them to prove their right to vote,” Williams said.

“So if you know any lawyers who would like to volunteer their time, I have a place for them.”

There is no uniform voting standard in this country as it varies from state to state. Access to the ballot depends on your zip code.

There are 159 counties in Georgia and 159 opportunities to vote, Williams said.

There are currently two major bills in the works that, if linked together, would allow same-day registration and standardize the ID required to vote: the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

“Congressman Lewis told us that the fight for democracy is not a day, a year or a month. It is a lifetime, a lifetime fight. That is why we must continue this work,” Williams said.

During the event, the center also swore in the city’s Du Bois Legacy Committee.

The full room shows that people are enthusiastic about democracy, Blake said after the event.

“It shows that people want to be involved and be part of something bigger,” he said.

“And you can’t talk about democracy without talking about (Du Bois). That’s not possible, and that’s why the (Du Bois Freedom Center) is the place that will be a cornerstone of democracy not only this year but beyond.”