New North Carolina Project Weekly Bulletin
Meet our Organizing Director, Redistricting News & January in action, from the desk of our digital director, Kristen Havlik.
|
|
A Note From Kay:
A core value that I hold is that change starts with YOU & ME making small decisions that get us involved and make a difference for the better. For me, getting involved in local city and county issues based on organizing and fighting for equity in resourcing black communities is my passion. I hope to share that passion, energy and experience to help YOU build in your community and fight to end systemic racism, discrimination and inequality. I am working for the New North Carolina Project to build coalitions, give resources and create voters for life. Investment in people is the best investment I feel I can make. So please, join me in fighting & donating to create voters for life.
Meet our Organizing Director,
Kay Brown
Before the end of 2021, we now have 13 full-time staff on our team. I am excited to more formally introduce you to Kay Brown, our state organizing director.
Kay lives in Greensboro with her two boys and started her work in social justice after becoming a mom, because they wanted a better future for their children and community.
Kay is currently a board member at Interactive Resource Center, that supports unhoused people in Guilford County. She is also the 2nd VP of her local NAACP chapter, and on the committee for the Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Commission.
Kay is a two time HBCU graduate- they got their undergraduate degree from NC A&T and a masters from Fayetteville State University.
So far in the work we're doing, Kay has brought an immense fire and brilliant structure to our organization. She is already leading our state with a passion and cultivating a strong community. I feel so honored to be working with her and our team to invest in communities of color.
NC Redistricting Trial
Lawsuits challenging the gerrymandered maps that the NC Legislature passed last fall went to trial this week. Despite our state being almost a 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans, the Republicans in the state legislature made sure our maps were made to their advantage by creating 1 challenging seat, 3 most likely Democrat seats and 10 Republican seats. We now have 14 Congressional districts. Wednesday, in a bombshell confession, House Rules Chairman Destin Hall admitted that Republicans had drawn "concept" maps behind closed doors during the redistricting process in the fall. You can find full reporting of all 4 days of the trial through Lekha Shupeck's twitter threads. A decision will be made by the panel of judges by early next week.
Upcoming Events
We started our Town Hall series this past Wednesday and had a great time with Nida Allam and Lekha Shupeck. If you missed it, you can rewatch the recording on Facebook.
Our next Town Hall is about Infrastructure- and we're excited to have Kinston City Councilor Chris Suggs, Greensboro City Councilor Justin Outling and Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Foushee joining the panel.
Anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection
A year ago was a dark day in the United States of America. An attempted coup to demolish what we have left of our democracy was lead by our commander in chief to try to overturn a fair and free election in a violent and deadly fashion. Senator Natalie Murdock said it so eloquently: "No matter our color, background, or party, the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol will forever be a day where dark powers motivated by anger and driven by hate tried to tear down our democracy. We will not hand our democracy to insurrectionists. We will defend our democracy by building a future guaranteeing equity, freedom and inclusion and access to opportunity for everyone."
This is why our work is so important. White supremacy is very much alive and our democracy is still under threat. So we must show up every day to protect it and make it stronger.
Volunteer Opportunities
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!https://www.mobilize.us/newncproject/event/428729/
Canvassing and Phone Banking starts THIS WEEKEND. Join us Saturday or Sunday on the phones, or knocking doors in Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham.
Our week of action is coming up January 15 - 22, which will also observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day and serve our communities in the process. You can start signing up for shifts now.
Voter ID Trial Update
Last week a federal US District Court Judge ordered the delay of a federal trial on the voter ID law that NC Republicans have been pushing for. Judge Loretta Biggs cites that "North Carolina's voter ID requirements have already been subject judicial intervention at both the federal and state levels, occasionally resulting in conflicting orders." This case has had its own rollercoaster being tossed around different courts for the last few years. A state ID is NOT needed at this time to vote, but we will keep you posted if that changes.
Requiring state ID's is another form of voter suppression. Thankfully our partners at VoteRiders help people attain state ID's if they'll be needed to vote in the future in North Carolina.
Unlearning and learning together
During the racial uprising in the summer of 2020, I followed a lot of creators online that were educating people about anti-racism.
Since then, I have learned so much and have enjoyed supporting these creators and sharing their content online.
One of them is Blair Imani, a Black bisexual Muslim activist, historian and best-selling author. Her short video series "Smart in Seconds" speaks to topics like disabilities, history, feminism and so much more, makes these topics more approachable and easy to understand. Sometimes topics like these can be complex and hard to navigate as someone who has never walked in those shoes and we have to show up and want to do the work to become better at recognizing our privileges.
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to become more aware and informed, I highly recommend reading Blair's new book, Read This To Get Smarter.
|
|
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.
|
Paid for the New North Carolina Project
The New North Carolina Project
6012 Bayfield Pkwy
Suite 142
Concord, NC 28027
United States
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please
unsubscribe.