'Protect or Neglect' sneak peek: Stacey Abrams speaks out

Abrams reemmbers a formative childhood encounter with racism

Video Transcript

- When I was 17 I was one of the valedictorians across the state invited to meet with the governor. My mom and dad were attending the event with me. We took the bus to the governor's mansion at West pace ferry. We get off the bus when we reach the guard gate, he looked at me, he looked at my parents' and I remember him looking past us at the bust that was pulling away, and he told us that this was a private event, we didn't belong there. My dad said no this is my daughter Stacy she's one of the valedictorians but he didn't check his checklist. He looked at my parents' again and he scowled and he said, look I told you this is a private event you don't belong. I wanted to go get back on the bus. I was humiliated but my mom and dad understood how important it was for me to be validated in this space. And so my father had a very robust conversation with the gentleman. He explained that there would be trouble if he didn't do his job and checked the checklist and indeed when he checked the list I was near the top of the list last name was Abrams and he finally led us in.