RHODES AND LEONA B. CARPENTER FOUNDATION AND THE >> ORGANIZING WOMEN OF COLOR AS ♪ ♪ >> HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY.

THIS WEEK, SHE THE PEOPLE, THE ORGANIZATION IS ELEVATING THE POLITICAL VOICE AND ISSUES FACING WOMEN OF COLOR, HOLDING TOWN HALLS AND -- FOR US THAT ARE ATTRACTING MANY OF THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT.

JOINING ME NOW IS AMY ALLISON, THE FORCE BEHIND SHE'S A PEACEFUL.

WELCOME TO YOU, >> THANK YOU.

I LOVE BEING CALLED A FORCE.

>> FORCE OF NATURE EVEN BETTER, AND LISTENING TO WHAT YOU DO, I THINK YOU, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY QUALIFY.

SO TELL ME ABOUT AND TELL OUR AUDIENCE ABOUT SHE THE PEOPLE WHAT IS IT?

>> SHE THE PEOPLE WAS BORN LAST YEAR, REALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE 2016 ELECTION RECOGNIZING THAT THE MOST PROGRESSIVE VOTERS, THE MOST LOYAL DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE -- WHO HAVE BEEN LEAST LIKELY TO BE ELECTED IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND YET IN SWING STATES, IN THE STATES AND THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST IN PARTICULAR, THAT TRUMP WON, WOMEN OF COLOR ARE ONE OF FOUR VOTERS, OVERALL ONE OF FIVE VOTERS.

AND YET THIS IS NOT A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAD -- THAT HAD BEEN CAMPAIGN TO OR ACCOUNTED TO OR, OR WOOED IN ANY WAY.

AND SO I REALIZED THAT SHE THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO START BECAUSE NEED TO ORGANIZE WOMEN OF COLOR ACROSS RACE FORMING A MULTIRACIAL POLITICAL IDENTITY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WOMEN OF COLOR WILL LEAD A BROAD-BASED MULTIRACIAL, INCLUSIVE COALITION TO WIN IN 2020.

SO I FOUND THAT SHE THAT PEOPLE WITH THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD SOLIDIFY AND MAKE VISIBLE TO THE COUNTRY, THE VOICE AND POWER OF WOMEN OF COLOR, TO INSPIRE AND ALSO SHOW A HOPEFUL WAY FORWARD, BECAUSE WHILE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR TWITTER FEEDS.

AND THEY'RE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

HOW ARE WE GOING TO BEAT TRUMP, HE SEEMS LIKE HE, YOU KNOW, HE'S, YOU KNOW, UNBEATABLE.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE BULKING AT IMPEACHMENT, ALL THAT STUFF.

I'M SAYING, LOOK, IF YOU FOLLOW THE LEAD OF WOMEN OF COLOR, YOU LISTEN TO OUR POLITICS, WHICH IS REALLY GROUNDED IN RACIAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GENDER JUSTICE.

THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY AND THIS IS PRACTICALLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO WIN.

>> BUT I RECALL HILLARY CLINTON RUNNING ADS IN SPANISH AND ATTENDING HISPANIC AND BLACK WOMEN FORUMS WHEN SHE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR PRESIDENT.

YOU REALLY THINK SHE WAS AS INSENSITIVE TO WOMEN OF COLOR BECAUSE HER FOCUS WAS SO MUCH WOMEN, AS MALE CANDIDATES BEFORE HER I'VE BEEN?

>> I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING AND I'M GOING TO BE VERY HONEST, AFTER 2016 AND THE RECOGNITION, THE MAJORITY OF WHITE WOMEN ARE REPUBLICAN.

THAT WAS IRREFUTABLE.

>> IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE REAGAN, MARRIED WOMEN SOMETHING ABOUT THE SENSIBILITY THE POLITICAL SENSIBILITY OF AMERICA SAID GENERAL DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THAT UNTIL AFTER 2016.

HILLARY CLINTON FELL PREY TO WHAT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS FALL PREY TO.

THAT IS A HUBRIS THAT ASSUMED THAT SHE WOULD JUST YOU KNOW, WHEN THE VOTE OF WOMEN OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY BLACK WOMEN, BECAUSE OF HER ASSOCIATION WITH BARACK OBAMA.

NOW BARACK OBAMA WAS ABLE TO BOTH INSPIRE AND ORGANIZE A MULTIRACIAL COALITION THAT WON, BUT HILLARY CLINTON HAD SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

LET ME JUST TALK PHILOSOPHICALLY FOR A MOMENT.

>> WHAT DID SHE NOT DO THAT OBAMA DID FOR WOMEN, FOR US, PARTICULARLY, LET'S START WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN.

>> OKAY.

LET'S START WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN.

SHE WAS CAMPAIGNING TO INSTEAD I'D BE THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED, BUT NEVER MENTIONED SHIRLEY CHISHOLM.

NOW FOR A LOT OF BLACK WOMEN, SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, 52 YEARS AGO, STARTED HER HISTORIC RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

SHE WAS A PERSON WAY AHEAD OF HER TIME, WHO REPRESENTED THIS KIND OF BOLD, PROGRESSIVE POLITICS AND ALSO ORGANIZED MULTIRACIAL LY.

INSTEAD, HILLARY CLINTON REACH BACK TO SUFFRAGETTES WERE ALL WHITE WHEN SHE ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION.

MANY OF US UNDERSTAND HISTORICALLY THAT SUFFRAGETTES HAD A RACISM PROBLEM AT THAT TIME, WOULD MAKE BLACK WOMEN GO TO THE BACK OF THEIR MARCHES AT THAT TIME, >> SEPARATE MARCHES.

>> SEPARATE MARCHES.

AND SO THOSE WHO, NOT EVERYONE, BUT MANY WHO END UP LEADING THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, ENDED UP BEING TRADERS TO THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUE OF EQUALITY, INCLUDING RACIAL EQUALITY, SETTING UP A SPLIT THAT WE SEE TODAY.

AND SO I SAY THAT BY SAYING THAT WHOEVER IS THE STANDARD BEARER FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, IF YOU'RE A WOMAN, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING FOR WOMEN OF COLOR VOTE, THAT YOU HAVE TO CLAIM A LEGACY OF THE PROUD TRADITION OF EXPANDING DEMOCRACY, THAT WOMEN OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY BLACK WOMEN HAVE LED IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU RUN THE RISK OF ALIENATING THE VERY VOTERS THAT YOU NEED.

SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH HILLARY CLINTON IS A NUMBER OF MISSTEPS, A NUMBER OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE, BUT IN PARTICULAR, HER SUPPORT WAS SOFT FOR WOMEN OF COLOR.

SO UNLIKE -- >> FROM WOMEN OF COLOR.

>> FROM WOMEN OF COLOR, COMPARED TO 2012, WHEN WOMEN OF COLOR HAD HIGHER ABOUT 5%, HIGHER VOTE TURNOUT THAN THE REST OF THE VOTING POPULATION, VOTING TO REELECT PRESIDENT OBAMA, IT WAS ABOUT 5% LOWER AND YOU CAN THINK OF WOMEN OF COLOR IS A BELLWETHER, ENTHUSIASM IS SOFT, AND TURNOUT IS LOWER THAN THE DEMOCRATS LOSE.

SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING NOW IS SHE THE PEOPLE IS ENCOURAGING THE LARGE CANDIDATE FIELD OF PEOPLE IN THE PRIMARY RUNNING FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION, TO SPEAK TO US AND SPEAK TO OUR ISSUES LIKE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH, SPEAK TO US AND ORGANIZE WITH US AS PART OF A COALITION OR RUN THE RISK OF GOING DOWN THE SAME PATH THAT HILLARY CLINTON DID, WHICH I THINK ULTIMATELY KIND OF TURNS OFF A PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM HER CAMPAIGN TO WHOEVER GETS THE NOMINATION IN 2020?

>> HERE'S THE MESSAGE THAT I WANT YOU THE PEOPLE TO MAKE CLEAR TO EVERY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, YOU CAN'T WIN WITHOUT THE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF WOMEN OF COLOR, YOU JUST CAN'T.

SO THAT MEANS SPEAK TO US FREQUENTLY, OFTEN.

LOOK AT LOOK AT BLACK WOMEN AND OTHER WOMEN OF COLOR, ASIAN AMERICAN LATINA VOTERS, AS THE PERSUADABLE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, AS -- INSTEAD OF CENTERING YOUR POLITICS, ON SORT OF MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, MODERATE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF POLITICS THAT ARE INTENDED TO APPEAL TO WHITE MODERATE VOTERS WHO ARE LESS AND LESS LIKELY TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS OVER TIME.

INSTEAD, CENTER YOUR POLITICS ON WOMEN OF COLOR, THAT'S A PROGRESSIVE, BOLD AGENDA THAT WOMEN OF COLOR WANT, BROADLY, >> BUT ARE ALL WOMEN OF COLOR PROGRESS ANALYTICALLY.

>> IT'S NOT ABOUT HAVING EVERY SINGLE ONE.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE MEDIA LOVES AND THE NIKKI HALEYS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT 100%.

BUT IT'S ABOUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF US WHO HAVE BEEN AMONG THE MOST DISCOUNTED, DEHUMANIZED, DISMISSED POPULATION IN THIS COUNTRY, WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO BE ON THE POINTY END OF THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF THIS COUNTRY.

WE'RE CLOSER TO THE PROBLEM, WE'RE CLOSEST TO THE SOLUTION, IDENTITY POLITICS, THAT TERM WAS COME UP WITH BY THE RIGHT WING TO DISMISS THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES AND HAPPENED TO BE WOMEN HAPPENED TO BE PEOPLE OF COLOR, HAPPEN TO BE LGBT, THAT WAS DISMISSED AS IDENTITY POLITICS AND DIVISIVE.

WHEN THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE EXPERIENCING A WHITE HOUSE AND A SENATE THAT ARE USING WHITE IDENTITY POLITICS, IN SOME OF THE WORST WAYS POSSIBLE.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AT THIS MOMENT, UNLIKE PREVIOUS YEARS, IS WE'RE SAYING THAT OUR IDENTITY, WHO WE ARE MATTERS, AND WE SHOULD EMBRACE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE INCLUDING BEING A WOMAN OR BEING -- WHATEVER YOU WERE COMING WITH COME WITH IT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, A HIGHER LEVEL OF IDENTITY IS REQUIRED IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S A MULTI RACIAL IDENTITY THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A HEART AND ORGANIZE ACROSS RACE, EVEN ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES THAT DON'T DIRECTLY AFFECT YOU.

I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE: AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF THE POLLING IN TERMS OF THE IMMIGRATION LAWS AND THE TREATMENT OF MIGRANTS ON THE BORDER.

>> THE HIGHEST WHAT?

>> HIGHEST OPPOSED TO THESE POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DIFFERENT GROUPS ARE REACTING IN THIS MOMENT, AND COMING TOGETHER IN COMMON CAUSE AND THAT'S THE KIND OF POLITICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED RIGHT NOW TO WIN.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK BIDEN AND AT LEAST AS OF THIS TAPING, BIDEN, AND SANDERS ARE NUMBERS ONE AND TWO IN THE POLLS?

AND THERE'S THE -- AND THEY'RE BOTH IN DOUBLE DIGITS, AND THEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS.

AND YOU HAVE HARRIS AND ELIZABETH WARREN, AND THEN KIND OF NOBODY ELSE, AT LEAST IN ANY KIND OF NUMBERS.

WHY?

WHY IS IT THAT WOMEN OF COLOR DON'T SEEM TO BE BREAKING THROUGH THE >> THE POLLING METHODOLOGIES THAT ARE BEING USED RIGHT NOW, HOW THE SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY, PROPHECY SORT OF THING.

BUT LET'S USE THE EXAMPLE OF ALEXANDRA OCASIO-CORTEZ IN HER PRIMARY AGAINST JOE CROWLEY.

FOR THAT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, NEW YORK, THE POLLSTERS COMPLETELY MISSED THE FACT THAT SHE WAS DOING SO WELL.

WHY?

BECAUSE SHE WAS MOTIVATING NEW VOTERS.

SHE WAS -- SHE WAS ORGANIZING A NEW COALITION OF VOTERS THAT AREN'T TYPICALLY ASKED BY POLLSTERS THEIR OPINION ABOUT ANYTHING.

SAME THING WITH CONGRESSWOMAN AYANA PRESLEY AND HER PRIMARY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE KIND OF CANDIDATES WHO ARE ORGANIZING ON THE GROUND AND BRINGING IN NEW FRESH VOTERS, THE POLLSTERS ARE MISSING.

SO I'M SAYING THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REALLY TRUST WHAT THE POLLS ARE SAYING.

AND I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS BASED ON EXPERIENCE WITH -- IN MY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY WORKING WITH WOMEN OF COLOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL QUESTIONING BIDEN'S HISTORY, HIS TREATMENT OF ANITA HILL.

I KNOW I WAS IN COLLEGE AT THE TIME.

I SAW THE WAY SHE WAS TREATED.

HE -- HIS ACTIONS AND WHAT HE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN ALL THOSE YEARS AGO HAD A CHILLING EFFECT ON WOMEN BEING BRAVE ENOUGH TO CALL OUT HARASSMENT AT WORK.

HIS -- HIS -- HIS CRAFTING AND DEFENSE OF THE CRIME BILL, AND VILIFYING WHOLE GENERATION AND INSPIRING AN EXPANSION OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX THAT AFFECTS SO MANY WOMEN OF COLOR AND OUR FAMILIES.

I THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE POLLS ARE CAPTURING THAT SENTIMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK OVER TIME, AS PEOPLE LOOK MORE DEEPLY INTO JOE BIDEN'S RECORD AND REALLY THINK, HEY, WE'VE GOT A BIG FIELD OF CANDIDATES.

HOW MUCH SUPPORT DOES HE REALLY HAVE?

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT MORE THAN THESE NATIONAL POLLS TO MEASURE THAT >> WELL, TELL ME HOW DOES A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT CAMPAIGN DIFFERENTLY TO WHITE PEOPLE AS FROM PEOPLE OF COLOR, SPECIFICALLY WOMEN OF COLOR, WHO HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

>> WELL, WE SAW THAT IN THE SHEET OF PEOPLE THE PRESIDENTIAL FORM THAT WE HELD RECENTLY AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, LATE APRIL AND HOUSTON.

LOOK, I AND THE FABULOUS ORGANIZERS ASSEMBLED A ROOM IN THE EARLY 2000 WOMEN OF COLOR FROM 26 STATES, MOSTLY FROM STATES OF TRUMP, ONE IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.

AND IN THAT FORUM, WE ASKED QUESTIONS OF REALLY DEEP CONCERNED WOMEN OF COLOR.

I GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

>> SO WE'RE WOMEN OF COLOR ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF WOMEN OF COLOR ASKING -- >> I WAS ON STAGE WITH JOANNE REED FROM MSNBC.

AND THEN WE HAD PEOPLE FROM THE AUDIENCE COME AND ASK QUESTIONS.

SO FOR SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN, AN ORGANIZER WHO WAS IN THE FRONT LINES ON THE GROUND ORGANIZING AND HOSPITALS ASKED DIRECTLY ABOUT BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH AND THE CRISIS OF BLACK MOTHERS DYING IN CHILDBIRTH, THREE TIMES THE RATE OF WHITE MOTHERS.

AND ELIZABETH WARREN SHOWED THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE, SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT CAME DOWN AS SHE CALLED PREJUDICE PREJUDICE, I WOULD CALL IT RACISM, LITERALLY HOW BLACK WOMEN ARE TREATED IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING, AND HAD A SPECIFIC PLAN TO USE BONUSES FOR THOSE HOSPITAL SETTINGS THAT ARE ABLE TO INCREASE, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF BLACK WOMEN IN LABOR AND CHILDBIRTH.

AND THAT ACTUALLY SPARKED A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CRISIS AND BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH.

THESE ARE ISSUES VERY IMPORTANT WOMEN OF COLOR.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THEM IN A WAY THAT YOU THAT REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE CRISIS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS FACING, THEN YOU'RE STARTING TO SPEAK TO WOMEN ARE CALLING THE LANGUAGE WE UNDERSTAND.

AH, YOU GET IT.

I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE.

FORMER SECRETARY OF HOUSING, LEON CASTRO WAS ON OUR STAGE, AND ONE OF THE WOMEN ASKED HIM ABOUT ABORTION AND THE HIGH DEMAND THAT THE -- AMENDMENT, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT, IT AFFECTS SOLDIERS, IT AFFECTS POOR WOMEN AFFECTS ALL THESE WOMEN ACROSS THESE CATEGORIES, AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO GET AN ABORTION AND THE AUDIENCE MEMBER ASKED WHAT WAS HIS COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING WOMEN'S RIGHT TO ABORTION?

AND WHAT HIS ANSWER WAS, ABORTION IS JUST HEALTH CARE.

IT'S HEALTH CARE, HEALTHCARE.

AND I SUPPORT A WHOLE RANGE OF HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN, INCLUDING ACCESS TO ABORTIONS.

SO WHEN WE ASK THE QUESTION DIRECTLY, AND WHEN WE ENTER THAT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT WOMEN OF COLOR ARE ASKING FOR FROM OUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.

>> BUT MAINLY WHAT SEPARATES PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WHITE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY IS INCOME, RIGHT?

EVEN MORE SO THAN RACE, ALTHOUGH RACE IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH INCOME.

SO WHEN YOU APPEAL TO WOMEN OF COLOR, AREN'T YOU?

AREN'T YOU ALSO APPEALING TO LOW INCOME WHITE WOMEN?

WHO ARE THE MAJORITY OF WHITE WOMEN HERE, >> HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW, AFTER 2016 RACES, MORE OF A DETERMINANT OF HOW PEOPLE VOTE THAN ANY OTHER FACTOR MORE THAN GENDER.

AND ORGANIZING WOMEN OF COLOR AS THIS PROGRESSIVE FORCE THAT WANTS A JUSTICE AGENDA IS TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO CENTER A COALITION LED BY WOMEN OF COLOR THAT'S MULTIRACIAL AND INCLUSIVE, BECAUSE WE NEED A MULTIRACIAL COALITION, IN ORDER TO WIN THE WHITE HOUSE BACK IN 2020.

SO IT'S REALLY SAYING THERE'S A , THERE'S A BROAD BASE, VERY INSPIRATIONAL POLITICS THAT CAN APPEAL TO LOTS OF DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT RACES AND GENDERS.

BUT WOMEN OF COLOR IN THIS MOMENT, ARE LEADING SOME OF THE MOST VIBRANT SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, TIMES UP TO AN IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND BLACK LIVES MATTERS IS LED BY WOMEN OF COLOR.

AND AND THE BEST ORGANIZERS WHO HAVE AFFECTED DEMOCRATIC INNOVATIONS, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE ASSOCIATED, LET'S SAY, AND GEORGE WAS STACEY ABRAMS CAMPAIGN, EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE, BRINGING PEOPLE IN, ALL OF THESE ARE WOMEN OF COLOR, LEAD MOVEMENTS AND STRATEGIES.

AND I'M SAYING THAT IF WE EMPOWER THIS GROUP, THAT'S THE POLITICS THAT CAN HELP TO TRANSFORM A NEW ERA, NEW PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ERA FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOW, WHEN -- >> GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOW, WHEN YOU SAY BRINGING NEW PEOPLE IN TO VOTE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO YOUNG PEOPLE, MIDDLE AGED PEOPLE, OLD PEOPLE?

WOULD THERE BE TWO DIFFERENT MESSAGES FOR >> STACEY ABRAMS, SHE LOOKED AT GEORGIA, AND SHE SAID, LOOK, DEMOCRATS KEEP LOSING STATEWIDE BY ABOUT 215,000 VOTES, BUT WE HAVE 2 MILLION ELIGIBLE UNREGISTERED PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR WOMEN OF COLOR, AS PROGRESSIVE VOTERS ARE MOST LIKELY TO VOTE DEMOCRATS WHEN YOU LOOK AT DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR WHO'S THE BEST INVESTMENT?

AND WHO SHOULD WE BE PUTTING OUR FOCUS ON IN TERMS OF EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE?

IT'S WOMEN OF COLOR, PLUS THE FACT THAT WOMEN -- >> FOCUSED ON CENTERING ON VOTERS OF COLOR OF ANY AGE, AND THEN GOING OUT FROM THERE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE VOTERS THAT ARE TYPICALLY IGNORED BY BOTH PARTIES.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT FLORIDA.

NOW THE GOP WINS FLORIDA BY 1%.

EVERY TIME THEY HAVE A STATEWIDE, TRUMP ONE FLORIDA BY 1%.

AND WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT THAT THE NUMBER OF VOTERS IT'S ABOUT 40,000.

THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE BLACK, LATINA, LATINO ASIAN AMERICAN VOTERS FAR EXCEEDS THE 40,000 NUMBER.

SO THE QUESTION IS, WHY IS AREN'T THE DEMOCRATS EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE, PUTTING A LOT OF TIME IN IN MORE THAN A YEAR IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES, HAVING CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT AN AGENDA THAT'S GOING TO BE INSPIRING, AND ORGANIZING VOTERS IN ORDER TO CLOSE THAT GAP?

AND YOU HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION.

FOR THE STATES THAT TRUMP ONE, -- WON PARTICULARLY LIKE FLORIDA, GEORGIA, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, ARIZONA, THESE ARE ALL PLACES THAT ARE MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR, WITH MILLIONS OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF COLOR, AND WOMEN OF COLOR ARE THE STRONGEST DEMOCRATS OR POTENTIAL DEMOCRATS AMONG THEM.

SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING THE CASE FOR THE COUNTRY TO INVEST DEEPLY IN THE POLITICAL POWER AND LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN OF COLOR, BECAUSE THAT'S A WINNING STRATEGY.

STOP CHASING AFTER AND OBSESSING OVER TRUMP VOTERS AREN'T OBSESSING OVER US AND AND START BUILDING A COALITION OF THOSE COLD OF THOSE WHO, WHO ARE READY TO LEAD THE COUNTRY INTO OUR NEXT ERA.

>> WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST ELECTABLE OF ALL THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR THE NOMINATION?

>> WELL, IF I JUST WATCHED CABLE NEWS, I WOULD THINK ELECTABILITY WAS BASED ON WELL, IF YOU'RE A WHITE GUY, OR MORAL ELECTABLE, I COMPLETELY REJECT -- PEOPLE SAID, THAT GUY'S NOT ELECTABLE.

HE'S NOT ELECTABLE FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, MAINLY BECAUSE HE'S A GUY OF COLOR IS A BLACK GUY.

AND THEN WE NEVER HAD A BLACK PRESIDENT.

SO WE CAN'T IMAGINE IT.

THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS MOMENT, IS THAT, AND STACY ABRAMS AND OTHER CANDIDATES, THESE ARE SHOWING THAT WE HAVE A BROAD RANGE IN A POPULATION IN OUR COUNTRY, THAT'S FAST BECOMING MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR, THAT WOMEN OF COLOR ARE COMING INTO THEIR OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, AND THE IDEA OF ELECTABILITY IS REALLY NOT BEING A WHITE GUY, WHICH IS HOW THE SYSTEM WAS BUILT, BUT IS A CANDIDATE WHO CAN DO TWO THINGS, ONE, INSPIRE A MULTIRACIAL COALITION, AND ACTUALLY ORGANIZE THAT COALITION.

LOOK AT PLACES LIKE WISCONSIN, AND PENNSYLVANIA AND MICHIGAN.

IN THE CLINTON TIME IN 2016, NO MONEY WAS SPENT ON BLACK VOTER ENGAGEMENT, A MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTION OF 2016, EVEN THOUGH BLACK PEOPLE MAKE UP 25% OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

SO THAT WAS A HUGE, HUGE MISSTEP.

BUT IN THE CASE OF, YOU KNOW, A OC, OR OR A STACY ABRAMS, I CAN IMAGINE THE KIND OF INVESTMENT IN THESE STRONG DEMOCRATIC STRONGHOLD LIKE BLACK WOMEN AND OTHER WOMEN OF COLOR.

AND NOT JUST SIX WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION, BUT A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE THE ELECTION, WHICH IS HOW STACEY ABRAMS ORGANIZED HERSELF.

I COULD IMAGINE THAT WITH THAT DEEP AND INTENTIONAL INVESTMENT IN REACHING VOTERS WHO WILL BE WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE WITH YOU, IF THEY ONLY HEARD FROM YOU.

AND THEY ONLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP AND BE INSPIRED BY I CAN IMAGINE BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR OWN WAY, RUNNING VERY CREDIBLE NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS.

>> NOW, THE GROUPS YOU WANT TO BRING OUT NEW VOTERS, WHAT IF ANYTHING, MADE THEM STAY HOME AND 2016 AND 2018?

>> WELL, FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT 2018.

ACROSS THE BOARD FROM CALIFORNIA, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SOUTH, ALL THOSE FLIPS, FOR CONGRESSIONAL FLIPS THAT DELIVERED THE MAJORITY TO THE HOUSE, THOSE THE CENTER OF THAT COALITION AND THE VOTE, THE STRONGEST VOTE WAS WOMEN OF COLOR.

SO WHEN I SAY WOMEN OF COLOR DELIVERED VICTORY IN THE MIDTERMS, IT'S IT'S TRUE >> IF EVERY SINGLE WOMAN OF COLOR AND EVERY SINGLE, LATINA, EVERY SINGLE AFRICAN AMERICAN, EVERY SINGLE NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN VOTED, WOULD THAT BE A BIG ENOUGH GROUP?

TO BE EVERYBODY ELSE?

>> YES.

BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S THAT IN TERMS OF THE LATINO POPULATION, THE VOTE ELIGIBLE NUMBERS ARE IN THE MILLIONS, 5 MILLION ELIGIBLE UNREGISTERED LATINAS IN TEXAS, AND TRUMP WON THAT STATE BY 3 MILLION.

AND OF COURSE, AFTER THE 2018 ELECTIONS, BETA OR -- HE DIDN'T WIN.

BUT THE VOTE GAP IN TERMS OF THAT ELECTION WENT FROM 16 POINTS TO THREE POINTS OF TEXAS.

SO TEXAS COULD VERY WELL TURNED BLUE.

AND IF THERE WAS EARLY INVESTMENT, LIKE NOW, INVESTMENT IN ENGAGING AND REGISTERING LATINAS, IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS, IT COULD VERY, VERY WELL TURN BLUE.

AND WE HAVE THAT SAME EXAMPLE, IN IN STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE A REAL FOCUS ON EXPANDING THE THE REACH OF WOMEN OF COLORS, POLITICAL VOICE, AND ORGANIZING AND VOTE WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A TURN MEN -- FREE MEFRN DOES DIFFERENCE -- TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE -- LOOK AT THE GENERAL ELECTION.

OVERALL, WOMEN OF COLOR ARE ONE OF ABOUT 10, OR ONE OF ABOUT NINE VOTES IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

BUT BECAUSE WE'RE SUCH STRONG DEMOCRATS, IT CHANGES THE CALCULATION.

AND WE'RE ARGUING ACTUALLY, THE PEOPLE THAT A LOT OF THE ENERGY THAT'S SPENT CHASING TRYING TO CHASE MODERATE WHITE VOTERS CENTER, A KIND OF A MODERATE MIDDLE OF ROAD POLITICS, SAY, BRAG ABOUT, HEY, I CAN WIN A DISTRICT THAT TRUMPS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TRUMP ONE BEFORE THAT KIND OF THING.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO FLY NOT IN 20, NOT IN 2019, NOT IN 2020.

THAT'S NOT THE WINNING STRATEGY.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE, JUST POLITICAL CULTURE AND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO IS ACTUALLY GOING TO CARRY THE DAY AND HELP THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, GET OUT OF THE THIS VERSION AND REALLY SERIOUS POLITICAL TROUBLE THAT WE'RE IN >> LAST QUESTION, WHO DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE?

AND CAN SHE BEAT TRUMP?

>> I KNOW THAT IT'S A BIG FIELD.

I THINK IT'S 23 AT LAST COUNT, BUT PROBABLY BY THE TIME IT AIRS, IT'LL BE MORE THAN THAT.

AND I DO THINK A DEMOCRAT WILL WILL BE ABLE TO BEST TRUMP, WHETHER IT'S SHE OR HE, IF THEY ARE WILLING TO FOCUS ON THE MULTIRACIAL COALITION, SIMILAR TO WHAT OBAMA BUILT, LED BY WOMEN OF COLOR.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE GREAT HOPE IS FOR OUR POLITICAL FUTURE.

WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING HOPELESS.

I'M LIKE, JUST FOLLOW WOMEN OF COLOR.

JUST FOLLOW AND THERE'S A PATH TO VICTORY >> AND LEAD THEM.

>> AND LEAD THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMY.

ALLISON.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE CHATTING WITH YOU FOR A HALF AN HOUR.

THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF TO THE CONTRARY, PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE PBS.ORG.

SLASH TO THE CONTRARY, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK, TO THE CONTRARY.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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