New North Carolina Project Weekly Bulletin
The Omicron variant is here, a look back on what’s happening in NC in 2021 and what we’re doing in 2022 to invest in communities of color,
from the desk of digital director, Kristen Havlik.
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COVID-19 Updates
We’re headed into our third year of the pandemic and we know everyone has COVID-fatigue. But now is not the time to stop protecting ourselves and loved ones.
The booster shot is free and readily available statewide, with appointments, at your local pharmacy, doctor’s office and county public health department. If you received the Moderna or Phizer shot in the last 6 months or more, you are eligible for your booster now. And if you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the last 2 months or more, you are also eligible for your booster now.
President Biden is going to make at-home rapid tests available to Americans starting in January.
Biden Administration Extends Pause on Student Loans
As of December 22, President Biden has extended the pause on student loan payments but this does not negate the problem that we have a racial wealth gap that has only widened during the pandemic. After 20 years of paying off loans, white borrowers still owe an average of 6% on their loans while Black borrowers owe 95% of their loans. By cancelling even $50,000 in student loan debt, it would relieve communities of color and allow them to open businesses, buy homes, have families and start building their own generational wealth.
Show your support for cancelling student loan debt by writing President Biden HERE.
Upcoming Events
Our Town Hall Series kicks off in a little less than 2 weeks! The first session about redistricting will be held on January 5, featuring Lekha Shupek from All on the Line NC and Nida Allam, Durham County Commissioner and candidate for NC-6.
Elected officials, activists and experts in their field will join the panel, moderated by Dr. Aimy Steele.
Volunteer Opportunities
We had a successful day of phone banking last weekend and appreciate everyone that took the time out of their Saturday to join us. We will have more opportunities to phone bank and canvass in January.
We also have a big day of action coming up on January 22, 2022 in Robeson County, NC. 4,000 pairs of chino pants have been donated to us to distribute to the Indigenous community in NC. We are seeking partnerships with clothing companies in NC that can donate clothing and perishable items. E-mail us if you can help with this effort at [email protected]
We also need 40 volunteers to help us set up and take down as well as serve the community during the day. Please sign up for a shift!
Thank You!
In 2021, we have raised over $2 million to help us hire a staff of now 12 full-time employees, 3 contracted employees as well as other services we receive every month. Now we take your investment to set up a permanent infrastructure in NC and to go out into the field and knock 250,000 doors, make 1 million calls and send 1 million texts. We could not do this without you!
Block Power
Do you want to start building health, wealth and power in your community?
Our organizing app, BlockPower, will help you learn more about your rights and what could help your community.
When you sign up to become a BlockPower ambassador, you can earn $20 a month to apply towards your cellphone or internet bill!
You can read more on Anti-Racism Daily.
We know that CRT is going to be a talking point in the 2022 election due to the Virginia gubernatorial race’s outcome. So we should be prepared to talk about it.
Understanding what
“Critical Race Theory” is
I grew up in Wake County Public Schools and I had never heard of critical race theory until this year. And out of nowhere, it became the new right-wing talking point.
Out of all of my social studies and history classes growing up, I was never taught that white people were bad and people of color were good. I was taught the opposite. Now, it's been a while since I was in public schools, I graduated in 2007, so I don't know what the curriculum looks like these days, but according to my current NC public teaching friends, CRT is not being taught in K-12 schools.
As defined by Anti-Racism Daily, critical race theory is a framework designed to help identify and understand how racism plays a part in our society. It helps provide insight and understanding of how racism can be studied, processed, and dismantled.
I think we can all agree that racism is bad and race in and of itself is a construct made up by white people to make them seem superior to people of color. History needs to be taught in the way that it happened- that white people have historically oppressed people of color for hundreds of years. But that's not critical race theory as it is not diving into racial bias, power and privilege. Critical Race Theory is a more nuanced conversation that stems from our history.
If you want to be more prepared for these conversations over the next year, I highly encourage you to read Nikole Hannah-Jones' book The 1619 Project and listen to her podcast, 1619. Nikole Hannah-Jones is first and foremost a journalist and her work is well-researched and thought out, so it is an excellent read or listen to more fully understand why we need to address our own implicit biases and how to act upon them going forward.
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Check Your Voter Registration
We’re no stranger to voter suppression in our state. So we encourage you to check your voter registration often as board of elections offices purge voters from time to time.
Help us reach our goals in 2022
With your generosity, we are able to build a permanent infrastructure that will increase voter registration and turnout as well as take care of our communities of color, in and outside of election cycles.
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Paid for the New North Carolina Project
The New North Carolina Project
6012 Bayfield Pkwy
Suite 142
Concord, NC 28027
United States
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