Moral advocates and impacted people with the NC Poor People’s Campaign met in Raleigh’s Freedom Park on June 12 in a stark moral contrast to the Moms for Liberty group standing outside the legislative building, and the lawmakers inside the building failing to fund child care, banning masks even for medical reasons, criminalizing peaceful protests, allowing anonymous billionaire donations to candidates, moving to try teens as adults, taking more money from public education for private school vouchers, destroying native burial grounds, turning local sheriffs into extensions of ICE, and much more.

As Rev. Rob Stephens noted, our gathering was significant both chronologically and geographically. June 12 is the anniversary of the Pulse Night Club massacre, the anniversary of the Loving vs. Virginia decision, and the anniversary of the assassination of Medgar Evers. This particular June 12 was also two days after the death of the architect of nonviolence in the Civil Rights movement, Rev. James Lawson. Geographically, the rally and press conference were held in the new North Carolina Freedom Park, a beautiful and moving monument to the voices of the African-American freedom struggle.

After rallying, we supported EqualityNC’s press conference for LGTBQ+ North Carolinians, and then made our way into the legislative building, where we chanted, sang, listened to more powerful statements from impacted persons, and visited the offices of Senate Leader Berger and Speaker Moore. We plan to return to the General Assembly on June 26.

Photo credits: Franklin Golden