They See Blue Georgia’s 2020 Election Kickoff

(Left) State Senator Sheikh Rahman and Sarah Riggs Amico, who
ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and is now one of the three candidates running for Republican U.S. Senator David Perdue’s seat.

On Saturday, February 8, 2020, the Georgia
chapter of They See Blue, a national organization for
South Asian Democrats working to flip seats blue,
held their 2020 Election Kickoff at the Northwest
Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Atlanta. The
event celebrated the birth of one of the first groups
for South Asian Democrats in the Southeast. Despite
the morning snowfall, some 150 attendees filled the
sanctuary and spilled into the lobby.

The emcee for the program was Feroza Syed, a
They See Blue Georgia member and trans activist.

Former Georgia Minority Leader and Founder
and Chair of Fair Fight Stacey Abrams served as
the keynote speaker. Leader Abrams talked about
her 2018 campaign, the importance of building coalitions
across communities, and getting out the
vote. “We can change what happens in 2020,” she
said. “We can show up.” Abrams also addressed the
upcoming Census, and warned of a possible undercount
in communities of color. Some 300,000 Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders are expected not to
be counted. “The census is more than a count,” she
stressed. “It’s about money and political power.”

(Right) Emcee and They See Blue member Feroza Syed with U.S. Candidate Jon Ossoff. (Photo: Nancy Helene)​

Three of the candidates running for Republican
U.S. Senator David Perdue’s seat, former Columbus
Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, Sarah Riggs Amico, who
ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2018, and Jon Ossoff,
who ran for Congress in 2017, spoke about why
they decided to run for office, the experiences they
would bring to the table, and the impact they hoped
to make in Washington should they win the primary
on May 19. All three promised to send Senator Purdue
packing, and were particularly keen on restoring
inclusivity and respect for all people in the U.S.

(Below, Right) U.S. Senate candidate Mayor Teresa Tomlinson and State
Senator Sheikh Rahman. (Photo: Nancy Helene)

State Senator Sheikh Rahman closed the program.
Rahman is the first Muslim and first Bangladeshi
elected to the Georgia legislature, and the
first South Asian and first immigrant elected to the
state senate.

Rahman talked about the diversity of the district
he represents, District 5 in Gwinnett County. Several
times during his speech the crowd erupted in
cheers. “I tell people I represent the United Nations,”
he said. There are people from more than one hundred
countries, who speak more than one hundred
languages. “My friends,” he said, “this is no time to
stay on the sidelines.” He then explained how one
vote can make a difference. “When I got elected to
the Democratic National Committee, I won by one
single vote,” he said.

“We can make a change,” Rahman said. “We
can make a difference. Do your civic duty. Come out
and vote.”

They See Blue, an organization for South Asian
Democrats, began in the Bay Area in August 2018.
The Georgia chapter opened in August 2019, and is
nearing 200 members. Six people make up the core
team: Anu Banerjee, Anjali Enjeti, Vyanti Joseph,
Suresh Kolichala, Uma Pulendran, and Viju Rao. The
chapter welcomes South Asian Democrats from the
entire state, as well as noncitizens. Since its inception,
They See Blue Georgia has held meetings about municipal
elections, voter suppression, and the Georgia
legislative session. They See Blue Georgia does not endorse
candidates until after the primary elections.

Suresh Kolichala is one of the co-founders of the
chapter. “Many South Asian Democrats keep quiet
about their politics because we live in a red state,”
says Kolichala. “They See Blue Georgia empowers
South Asian Democrats to get vocal about their progressive
politics.”

The chapter prides itself on its diversity. “What’s
unique about They See Blue Georgia, is that we are an
inclusive, anti-bigotry coalition,” says core team member
Vyanti Joseph, a Cobb County resident. “Our members
are multinational, multiethnic, multifaith, as well
as nonreligious. Having political spaces that seek to
unite, rather than divide, is crucial in the current political
climate.”

“They See Blue Georgia’s kickoff made me feel energized
and proud as an Indian-American voter,” says
Saif Issani, a resident of Gwinnett County. “It’s my goal
to get as many people in our community involved to
fulfill their civic duty by voting, and flip our state blue!”

“As a South Asian Democrat and a professor, who
understands the importance of diversity for scientific
research and business, which will ultimately enable
the United States to maintain its super power status,
I believe that the work They See Blue Georgia is doing
is significant,” says Pamila Dembla, a Cobb County
resident. “South Asians are some of the most influential
immigrants in the United States and can have
significant impact in redefining the cultural fabric of
this country. The Senate candidates on Saturday spoke
about a multitude of issues affecting the community.”

Upcoming events for They See Blue Georgia include
meet-and-greets with state, congressional, and
senate candidates, and voter registration drives. There
are no membership fees. For more information on how
to join, email tsb.georgia@gmail.com.

Website Bonus Feature

Videos:
State Senator Sheikh Rahman, first Bangladeshi and first South Asian elected to Georgia legislature
https://www.facebook.com/TheySeeBlueGeorgia/videos/3023396687682032/

Stacey Abrams
https://www.facebook.com/TheySeeBlueGeorgia/videos/3145113125518496/

https://www.facebook.com/TheySeeBlueGeorgia/videos/202030270850268/

https://www.facebook.com/TheySeeBlueGeorgia/videos/122708042434882/