We’re in trouble in this country. And the very people in this country that have been ignored, taken for granted, discounted, and dehumanized are the ones who are going to save us. The people who are most deeply affected and harmed by the cruel policies and practices of this country are the ones poised to lead as courageous candidates and elected officials, strategists, and voters. I’m talking about the saving graces of our democracy: women of color.

After Doug Jones won the special election to replace Senator Jeff Sessions in Alabama in December, author, podcaster and TEDWomen presenter Luvvie Ajayi was reading about the results and one statistic jumped out at her. "When I read that 98% of Black women voted for Doug Jones (while 63% of white women voted for Moore) and that gave him the win, I realized that we really need to do work to elevate Black women and get them into office," she told me recently, "Because if you can't trust anybody else, you can trust Black women."

When early voting begins today in the Georgia primary campaign for governor, Stacey Abrams, the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, may very well take a momentous step closer to becoming the first black woman in the nation to be elected governor.

Women of color are at the core of the progressive movement and their collective voting power is key to victory in the midterm elections.

This year is off to the races, and Black women continue to drive the political narrative as we look towards the 2018 and 2020 election cycles.

Democracy in Color made history at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.