Not even the force of two tropical storms could stop the momentum that NAACP is building in the state of North Carolina. In the span of two weeks, Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael ravaged the southeastern regions of the state, affecting counties where African Americans predominantly reside. As a leader in the Black community, NAACP swiftly got to work.
The hurricanes didn’t just leave rubble and shattered glass in their wake, they left thousands of people displaced or homeless, and the NAACP recognizing the importance of these people’s right to vote worked with other partners to convince the state to extended voter registration in the affected areas. And come November 6, we’re doing everything in our power to make sure they don’t end up hopeless. We are letting them know that their voice still matters. North Carolina is still their home, and even when natural forces beyond their control try to take their hope away, they still have the power of their vote.
We know that this November, we literally cannot afford to sit out of the midterm elections. That’s why NAACP embarked on an aggressive civic engagement campaign calling on people of color across the nation to vote; our lives depend on it. In North Carolina, this statement rings painfully close to home. When you are forced to evacuate your home because of a hurricane, or when instead you stay because you simply don’t have the financial means to leave, you need elected officials that believe in climate change. You need elected officials that will make adequate provisions for lower-income families who often feel the worst of the hurricane. You need elected officials who are not just willing to pick up a check, but also a shovel and get to work.
As thousands of North Carolinians evacuated, a smaller number came home to find out that their cars, houses, and worst of all, their loved ones, were gone. Many in local and state government did little to minimize the possible impact that the storms would have on victims voting rights.
So when we say your life depends on your vote, we mean it.
On our end, we’re doing everything we can to ensure those who were impacted by the hurricane don’t get left behind. To date, we’ve–along with our partners–registered more than 17,500 people to vote across the state, and we will be sponsoring Souls to the Polls events throughout the state with the intent to increase voter turnout.
This election is about respect. Respect for our communities, where we’ve come from, and what we stand for. On November 6, I implore you to vote in leaders who respect these values. Your life depends on it.
