The New North Carolina Project works to register and turnout voters regardless of party.[1][2] The organization also speaks out against misinformation online and other forms of voter suppression and intimidation.[3][4] It also tries to counteract those efforts and a disillusionment with politics reach potential voters by making calls and organizing volunteers.[4] The project, for example, hosted a number of events to engage HBCU students on the first day of early voting in 2022.[5] They also hired a Native American engagement director in 2021.[6] The group hopes to close the turnout gap between white voters and voters of color.[6]
 | |
| Formation | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit (501(c)4) |
| Purpose | Voter registration Voting rights protection |
Region | North Carolina |
Founder & CEO | Aimy Steele |
| Website | Official website |
The project was modeled after voter mobilization efforts like the New Georgia Project.[7] Aimy Steele, a former educator, founded the project in 2021.[8][7][9] The Project had hired 20 staff but by April 2023, had to lay off all staff and return to being run by five volunteers unless more funding arrives. This lack of funding is credited to North Carolina not being seen in 2022 and 2023 as competitive of a swing state to the degree of swing states like Georgia as well as the long gaps in funding between election cycles.[10]
Awards
editSteele won Emerging Leader in the Social Justice/Community Advocacy category of the 2024 EQUALibrium Awards by WFAE.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Soloff, Katie Peralta (December 3, 2021). "How one new group is Stacey Abrams-ing North Carolina". Axios.
- ^ Kinery, Emma (2021-10-06). "North Carolina Group Looks to Deploy Stacey Abrams's Georgia Strategy". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
- ^ Vitaglione, Grace (2023-09-15). "Latino votes drop in NC: Why it happened and why some Latinos are voting Republican". WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ a b Higgins, Eoin (2022-05-03). "Democratic Inaction Is Seriously Eroding the Party's Activist Base". The Intercept. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Menayese, Elvis (2022-10-21). "Johnson C. Smith University students mark the start of early voting with community engagement". WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ a b Murphy, Brian (October 8, 2021). "New group aims to flip NC, through 1 million people of color who didn't vote in 2020". Raleigh Observer.
- ^ a b Chemtob, Danielle (April 5, 2022). "People of color are driving Concord's growth". Axios.
- ^ "Effort to register minority citizens in N. Carolina launches". AP News. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Harrison, Steve; Funk, Tim; Morrill, Jim (April 12, 2022). "Aimy Steele on the New North Carolina Project and a look at North Carolina's unaffiliated voters". WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source (Podcast interview). Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Quarshie, Mabinty (April 5, 2023). "Stacey Abrams voter efforts worked in Georgia. Why North Carolina struggles to register people of color". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
- ^ "WFAE announces winners of the 2024 EQUALibrium Awards". WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source. 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-07-26.