Read SCSJ’s Equal Justice Works Fellow Mitchell Brown’s Houston Chronicle op-ed HERE. Last week, when Attorney General Ken Paxton arrested Hervis Rogers for allegedly casting an illegal ballot, he did so knowing that Rogers is considered an American hero. Rogers made national headlines after waiting more than six hours to vote at a Houston polling place […]
SCSJ Amicus Brief in Brnovich v. DNC
In January 2021, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice filed a “friend of the court” brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Brnovich v. DNC on behalf of four A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) chapters dedicated to defending voting rights across the South. As stated in the brief’s opening […]
OP-ED: NC Senate’s proposed budget includes measures that could undermine fair elections
Read SCSJ Executive Director and Chief Counsel for Voting Rights Allison Riggs’s Raleigh News & Observer op-ed HERE. ___________________________________________________________________________________ State Senators, sent to Raleigh to pass a budget that addresses North Carolinians’ needs, have just advanced new anti-voter proposals in a fiscal plan with lasting impacts on the freedom to vote. The latest version of […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Joins N.C. Voting Rights Advocates to Oppose Anti-Voter Bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2021CONTACT: Sailor Jones, sailor@scsj.org, 919-260-5906 RALEIGH, N.C. (June 14, 2021) — Voting rights advocates converged on the grounds of the N.C. General Assembly on Monday for a press conference to speak out against Senate Bills 326, 724, and 725 as lawmakers ramp up efforts to restrict access to the ballot. […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Responds to Senate Bill 724’s Fast-tracked Changes to Online Voter Registration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2021CONTACT: Sailor Jones, (919) 260-5906, sailor@scsj.org DURHAM (June 9, 2021) — North Carolina-based voting rights group Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) responded today to Senate Bill 724, one of a slate of Republican voting-related changes being fast-tracked in the North Carolina legislature. The bill not only invests in NC’s enjoined […]
Protecting Against the Onslaught of Voter Suppression Efforts in the States: A Statement from the Voting Rights Working Group
READ THE FULL STATEMENT. (May 18, 2021) — As a nation, we have a shared commitment and responsibility to protect the voices and the rights of American voters. Our systems of democracy are made stronger when we all are respected and heard. A representative and effective government starts with free and fair access to the vote. […]
SCSJ on Hair Discrimination Investigation: “Take a Broader Look”
SCSJ to Durham Public Schools: “take a much broader look at racial bias in all of their policies.” DURHAM, N.C. (May 12, 2021) — On May 12, Durham Public Schools (DPS) issued a statement that they would be investigating an incident involving a Durham high-school student who was forced to cut her hair during a softball […]
4th Circuit Upholds Right to Privacy in Lawsuit Requesting NC Voter Information
SCSJ: “We are grateful for the Court’s clear requirements to protect these voters’ identities.” Durham, N.C. (May 11, 2021) — In a ruling issued on May 10, the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit sent a lawsuit requesting significant, detailed information on registered voters in several North Carolina counties back to the […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Responds to North Carolina Student Discipline Legislation
SCSJ: “This is a step in the wrong direction for a state where most people would rather walk toward equity.“ DURHAM, N.C. (May 10, 2021) — North Carolina lawmakers are advancing legislation that would create harsher penalties for minor school disciplinary infractions. House Bill 247 would allow schools to use long-term suspension or expulsion as […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Responds to Fast-Moving N.C. Anti-Protest Bills
SCSJ: “…these bills send a strong message that our legislature’s priority is not protecting the fundamental rights of North Carolinians.” DURHAM, N.C. (5.6.2021) — North Carolina lawmakers are fast-tracking two bills on Thursday that would create more penalties for protesters and provide more protections for police. House Bill 805, sponsored on May 3, by House […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Responds to Slate of Anti-Voter N.C. Legislation
SCSJ: “We vehemently oppose these latest legislative efforts to attack the freedom to vote and vow to continue pushing back from the committee room to the courtroom.” DURHAM, N.C. (5.6.2021) — North Carolina lawmakers are advancing three bills that would slash mail-in voting deadlines, expand the power of partisan poll watchers, and bar elections boards […]
Southern Coalition for Social Justice Reacts to Killing of Andrew Brown Jr., Joins Brown Family and Protestors in Calling for Release of Footage
SCSJ: “[We] demand justice for Andrew Brown Jr., accountability for the police violence that took his life, and transparency for his loved ones and others seeking safety and reassurance.” DURHAM, N.C. (April 29, 2021) — Following a judge’s denial on Wednesday of requests to immediately release videos showing police officer’s fatal shooting of Andrew Brown, Jr., Southern […]
Canceled Event: Second Chance Month Webinar & Supporting Elizabeth City
We decided to cancel our Second Chance Month Webinar tonight to focus our attention on being in solidarity with Elizabeth City protesters. It’s imperative that we join with the Elizabeth City community who are demanding justice for Andrew Brown Jr. Together, we can support Elizabeth City freedom fighters and champion their cause. Call to Action! […]
Trial Challenging NC’s Discriminatory Voter ID Law Begins April 12
RALEIGH, N.C. (April 11, 2021) — Opening statements begin April 12, for North Carolina’s long-awaited state voter ID trial in Holmes v. Moore. The trial, which is expected to run several weeks, is scheduled to begin Monday at 10 a.m. The media and public can watch the trial online here. Plaintiffs, six North Carolina voters […]
COVID and Racial Injustice
Brianna Marquinez, SCSJ Volunteer and NC State University student, shares a blog post on racial disparities and inequities with the COVID vaccine distribution.
Join Us For Our Second Chance Month Webinar
Everyone should have the resources they need to thrive. We celebrate #SecondChanceMonth this April by supporting members of our community who have been impacted by incarceration and the legal system. Join our Second Chance Month webinar as we discuss collateral consequences and resources to repair harm including our step-by-step guides to help with the expungement […]
SCSJ Co-Executive Director to Testify in Front of Congress about Voting Rights and the 2020 Election
Durham, N.C. — Allison Riggs, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice’s Chief Counsel for Voting Rights and Co-Executive Director, will testify in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration’s Subcommittee on Elections for the 117th Congress on Thursday, April 1, at noon.
Racial Equity Report Cards Find Ongoing Disparities in Discipline in North Carolina Public Schools
For media inquiries:Michelle Rashmrash@rlfcommunications.com336-553-1733 (office)336-823-5501 (mobile) Durham, N.C. — While Black students made up 24.8% of children in North Carolina public schools, they received 54.9% of all short-term suspensions during the 2019-2020 school year, which ended in-person learning for students statewide in mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. White students, who comprise 45.5% of […]