RALEIGH, N.C. (September 10, 2021) — Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) praised Governor Roy Cooper’s veto today of House Bill 324 (HB324). The legislation, which state lawmakers passed on September 1 and was delivered to the governor’s desk last week, would have prevented students from having open and equitable conversations about our country’s history […]
SCSJ’s CROWD Academies Return in Time for Critical Post-2020 Census Redistricting Process
Durham, N.C. — Continuing its efforts launched last year, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) will partner with community organizations to offer in-depth training sessions to educate community organizers on the redistricting process and advocating for fair maps for communities of color in 2021-2022 redistricting efforts.
Statement on Election Protection Litigation Brought During the 2020 Elections
Durham, N.C. — Members of the Voting Rights Working Group issue the following statement about its election protection litigation for the 2020 elections.
Open Letter Condemning the Arrest of Legal Observers on August 28, 2020
The undersigned organizations unequivocally condemn the targeted arrest of two trained legal observers witnessing the enforcement of a city curfew on the night of August 28, 2020. We call on local leaders to publicly join us in standing beside the arrested legal observers as they fight for their right to document the actions of law enforcement without harassment, arrest, or other interference, and demand a specific written exception for that purpose in any future curfews.
SCSJ Represents Democracy North Carolina in Amicus Brief Urging State Court to Reject State’s Proposed Remedy Maps
Late Friday, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Democracy North Carolina urging a three-judge state court panel in Common Cause v. Lewis to reject the “remedial” State Senate and House redistricting plans enacted by the General Assembly a little over a week ago. SCSJ and Democracy NC argued that those plans fail to eliminate the partisan bias that led the court to invalidate the prior plans as unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders.
Voting Rights Groups Object to Rushed Redraw of Precincts by State Elections Board
RALEIGH, N.C. (May 1, 2019) — Voting rights groups are calling on the N.C. State Board of Elections (“State Board”) to stop efforts to redraw the state’s voting precincts by May 31, 2019. The Southern Coalition for Social Justice and Democracy North Carolina sent a letter to the State Board on Tuesday outlining how forcing […]
Civil Rights Organizations Urge U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session to Withdraw Subpoenas for Massive Amount of Voter Records and Information
DURHAM, N.C. – A coalition of national, regional, and state-based civil rights organizations has sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging the withdrawal of recently issued subpoenas in North Carolina that sought millions of voter records in the state. The letter makes it clear that the subpoenas: Target people of color, immigrants, and […]
Know Your Voting Rights – Post Hurricane Florence
In the wake of natural disasters, voters frequently get displaced from their homes. That does not mean that these voters lose their right to vote and have their political voices heard. Survivors of Hurricane Florence who have been forced from their homes because of the storm and subsequent flooding have several options available to them […]
As Urged by SCSJ, North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement Directs AG’s Office to Move to Quash Overbroad ICE Subpoenas
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement unanimously agreed to direct the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office to take all necessary steps to quash the vague, burdensome and potentially illegal subpoenas that the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern North Carolina served in the last week on the State […]
Statement from the Southern Coalition for Social Justice Regarding Changes to the Appearances of Proposed Constitutional Amendments on the 2018 General Election Ballot
RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina General Assembly today passed House Bill 3, Ballot Designations/Referenda, during a hastily called special legislative session. If the measure becomes law, the Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission will lose its well-established authority to draft short captions that would appear on November’s ballot for every North Carolina voter describing six proposed […]
Statement from June 11 Durham County Board of Commissioners Meeting
The following statement was given by SCSJ attorneys Ian Mance and Whitley Carpenter at the June 11 Durham County Board of Commissioners regarding Durham County’s Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget: “My name is Ian Mance. I’m an attorney at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and we along with Hank Ehlies of South Carolina, represent Ms. […]
Press Release: Voters File Federal Court Challenge to Voter Intimidation Efforts in Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Dustin Chicurel-Bayard, dustin@scsj.org, 919.323.4051 Mackenzie Long, mlong@wearerally.com, 916.524.3197 Voters File Federal Court Challenge to Voter Intimidation Efforts in Virginia Voter intimidation violates Ku Klux Klan Act, created in 1871 to protect voters from being harassed when attempting to register or vote ALEXANDRIA, VA – Voters subjected […]
Press Release: Voters File Federal Court Challenge to Voter Intimidation Efforts in Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2018 Contact: Dustin Chicurel-Bayard, dustin@scsj.org, 919.323.4051 Mackenzie Long, mlong@wearerally.com, 916.524.3197 Voters File Federal Court Challenge to Voter Intimidation Efforts in Virginia Voter intimidation violates Ku Klux Klan Act, created in 1871 to protect voters from being harassed when attempting to register or vote ALEXANDRIA, VA – Voters subjected […]
SCSJ supports call to remove Confederate monuments, memorials, and flags at the courthouses in North Carolina
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice has signed onto a resolution drafted by the North Carolina Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System that calls for the immediate removal of all Confederate monuments, memorials, flags, and other symbols and markers of racism and white supremacy, from all public spaces inside or […]
Youth Justice Project's Statement regarding DACA
Durham, N.C. — The Youth Justice Project released the following statement on Facebook earlier today in response to the Trump administration’s decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program: “Here at Youth Justice Project, we value dignity, community, and diversity as some of our nation’s greatest strengths. However, yesterday’s decision to end DACA […]
SCSJ joins call for more diversity within the Federal Reserve
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice is among the 32 community groups that sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen calling for greater diversity, representation, and fairness within the nation’s central banking system. Other signatories include the AFL-CIO, NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, Action NC and 27 others. The request points out […]
SCSJ partners with Florida's Lee County NAACP on school board redistricting proposal
Voters in Lee County, Florida, passed a referendum in 2014 to expand the school board from five to seven members and move away from all at-large elections in favor of a hybrid system where five of the board members would be elected from districts. The change was intended to diversify the school board, which has […]
Statement from the Southern Coalition for Social Justice on President Trump's Immigration Ban Executive Order
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice joins the individuals and organizations across the country and world condemning President Trump’s recent Executive Order, which imposes severe restrictions on entry into the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days, and bans refugees fleeing violence in Syria until further notice. We […]