Hundreds Show Up For Next Three Stops in Common Cause NC’s Tour

HIGH POINT, N.C. (8/8/23) — Last Monday night, more than 120 High Point residents gathered at Turners Chapel AME Church to address their state lawmakers at a #UniteNC Town Hall, followed by 90-plus attendees Wednesday night in Fayetteville, and 65 more in rural Rockingham County.

Concerns over public school funding, gun safety, and reproductive healthcare, along with the ability to vote and have a genuine say in their democracy, dominated North Carolinians’ concerns. Rep. Cecil Brockman (HD-60) at Sen. Michael Garrett (SD-27) responded to the crowd in High Point, as did Rep. Charles Smith (HD-44), Rep. Frances Jackson (HD-45), at Sen. Val Applewhite (SD-19) in Fayetteville. Rep. Marvin Lucas (HD-42) at Rep. Amos Quick, III (HD-58) could not attend due to conflicts. Additional lawmakers from the Cumberland County and Rockingham County delegations did not respond to several invitations.

The High Point, Fayetteville, and Rockingham County #UniteNC Town Halls are among the 20-plus lawmaker accountability events being hosted this summer in competitive voting districts by nonpartisan voting rights group Common Cause NC and the organization’s estado at lokal na mga kasosyo. Ang centerpiece ng bawat town hall ay nagbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga residente na magtanong sa kanilang mga inihalal na kinatawan at tumugon sa mga senyales tulad ng "ano ang gusto mong hitsura ng hinaharap ng North Carolina?"

To date, more than 500 North Carolinians have attended the first five town halls.

The #UniteNC Town Hall Tour continues tonight, August 8th, in Gibsonville at 6:30 p.m. Monday night’s planned town hall in Kannapolis has been rescheduled to Monday, September 18th due to severe weather.

Next week, town halls will take place in Wilmington and Salisbury. Additional stops were announced for Rocky Mount, Hendersonville, Greenville, Scotland Neck, Sylva, Hillsborough, and more. Members of the public and media can RSVP to a town hall in their area by visiting ccnc.me/UniteNC.

Members of the media can find a link to the video for High Point dito, Fayetteville dito, and Rockingham County dito.

Links to photos from the events: High Point | Fayetteville | Rockingham County

Below are quotes from event organizers and town hall attendees:

"Ang ilang mga mambabatas ng estado ay nakakumbinsi sa pagbuwag sa ating demokrasya, pagmamadali sa mga bagong paghihigpit sa mga popular na opsyon sa pagboto at pagmamanipula sa kanilang mga distrito para sa partisan na pakinabang, bukod sa iba pang mga problemang panukala," sabi Gino Nuzzolillo, Campaigns Manager sa Common Cause North Carolina. “Every issue before the legislature deserves robust public input, thoughtful debate and full transparency. Lawmakers are conducting ‘the People’s business’ in the People’s House. These #UniteNC Town Halls are meant to remind lawmakers who they work for — and remind the public that we’re putting people over politics ahead of the important elections to come.”

High Point resident Mitzi Turner said: “It is time to get our hands dirty. Go see how our people living. Hold our representatives accountable for what they’re doing and not doing. Our power is at the polls. How our streets look is at the polls. Do you hear me?”

Fayetteville resident Krystal Maddox said: “If you’re going to force people to have children, take care of them. With bills like [SB49], we’ll be making this problem worse for our children.”

Reidsville resident Ann Brady commented: “In conclusion, the result of these vouchers [through HB823], coupled with the bleak outlook for public teacher salary increases in the budget results in legal and subsidized school segregation. Do we value public education as an institution that serves all children in our state, or do we further promote private options for a select few?”

Ang Common Cause NC ay isang nonpartisan grassroots organization na nakatuon sa pagtataguyod ng mga pangunahing halaga ng demokrasya ng Amerika. Nagtatrabaho kami upang lumikha ng bukas, tapat at may pananagutan na pamahalaan na nagsisilbi sa interes ng publiko; itaguyod ang pantay na karapatan, pagkakataon at representasyon para sa lahat; at bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang lahat ng tao na iparinig ang kanilang mga boses sa prosesong pampulitika.