Oluo uses Anita Alvarez’s defeat to show that every small change—such as removing one corrupt person from office—makes people in power realize that they can’t
stay in power if people stop voting for them. Effectively, Oluo concludes that even though U.S. society’s institutions (like politics, media, and education) control Americans, Americans also control these institutions—through their votes and their spending. Thus, voting and spending in ways that support people of color is the most effective way to combat systemic racism.