Race and Civil Rights

June 17, 2016 - Two mass shootings a year apart took place in spaces that were supposed to be sanctuaries for oppressed communities. But the very freedom and strength such spaces have offered also made them targets for hate and violence.

June 17, 2016 - I recently had the opportunity to go to Washington to advocate for Central American youth who have been detained in Georgia. Their stories helped me understand the larger issue at hand: Black and Brown youth across the South are being criminalized.

June 14, 2016 - At this week's Moral Monday rally in Sylva, North Carolina, Rev. William Barber of the state NAACP addressed the mass shooting that took place a day earlier at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida. He called out political leaders who foment hate and called on people to keep the faith that love is greater.

June 10, 2016 - North Carolina lawmakers recently proposed drastically cutting tuition at several historically black public universities but altered the bill after protests by HBCU students and alumni. One of the lawmakers behind the measure was also a key player behind a law that limited voting rights and dramatically affected HBCU students, and they haven't forgotten.

June 3, 2016 - North Carolina will hold a special primary election for Congress on June 7 because of a court ruling that the legislature unconstitutionally gerrymandered districts. The election is costing the state millions, with turnout expected to be extremely low. Will the debacle boost the case for independent redistricting?

May 18, 2016 - This week Ben & Jerry's ice cream unveiled a new flavor in North Carolina to benefit the N.C. NAACP's voter engagement efforts. The event took place in Durham, a city where ice cream has played an historic role in the fight for racial equality.

May 6, 2016 - Last month Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order restoring voting rights to 200,000 ex-felons. Republican lawmakers now want to challenge the order in court.