ANAACP Mobilizes Over 150 People to Ride Buses to the 11th HKonJ Moral March, Joined by the ABAE, Alamance Peace Action, Alamance Pride and Elon Groups

One of three buses of Justice-Loving people from Alamance County to attend the 11th HKonJ Moral March | photo by ANAACP/Adriano A. Tobar

In Raleigh, NC on February 11, 2017, local partners in the Alamance People’s Assembly marched with the Alamance NAACP and ten of thousands of justice-loving people in the 11th Annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) Moral March.

ANAACP President Barrett Brown (left) and ANAACP Religious Affairs Chair Kendal McBroom (right)

The ANAACP organized three passenger buses and a 12-passenger van, with over 150 people riding to attend this year’s HKonJ Moral March and People’s Assembly.  This was one of our largest mobilizations ever. We are especially proud of the partnerships that we have developed with our fellow community advocates that make this kind of mobilization a success. As envisioned by the NC NAACP, the local HKonJ March mobilization is a community organizing campaign and a public statement of our local coalition’s strength and solidarity.

To build on this organizing effort, the ANAACP is seeking to formalize our community partnerships by initiating and hosting Alamance People’s Assembly meetings, on third Thursdays of the month at 6:00 pm, at Life’s Journey UCC on 2121 Edgewood Ave., Burlington, NC. The Local People’s Assembly structure is meant to mirror the statewide HKonJ People’s Assembly that has been so successful at resisting many of the most immoral and unconstitutional laws of the extremists in the NCGA. Through our local efforts, we seek to have a similar influence on the lawmakers of Alamance County.

We invite community and faith groups to join our deeply moral, deeply constitutional, non-partisan, indigenously-led,  fusion movement, to coordinate, advocate, lobby and demonstrate for:

• EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW
• VOTING AND LABOR RIGHTS
• EDUCATION EQUALITY
• HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS
• CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

regardless of a person’s race, class, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or immigration status.

Find much more on the HKonJ People’s Agenda, HERE.

Find new coverage here of our local mobilization, HERE.

Find more on the history of our own local coalition, the Alamance People’s Assembly, HERE.

Read the statements below from our local partners, on why these organizations support and participate in HKonJ and want to work together locally with the Alamance NAACP.

Alamance-Burlington Association of Educators President Arielle Hogarth | photo by ANAACP/Adriano A. Tobar

Statement from the Featured Speaker on Education at this years HKonJ from the North Carolina Association of Educators,  ANAACP member and Alamance-Burlington Association of Educators President, Arielle Hogarth:

I am proud to have been selected by the North Carolina Association of Educators to speak at the HKonJ Moral March Saturday.  I am a twelve-year social studies teacher at Eastern Alamance High School and proud member of the Alamance NAACP.  Educators have a long history of participation in social movements and progressive reforms; I’m committed to doing my part.  Now is a perfect time for educators to stand up and speak out for the benefit of our nation’s future.  Our students are our future.  If we don’t promote equality, equity, progress, and acceptance now, what kind of nation are we creating for future generations? This is a movement, not a moment, and I’m very grateful to work with such amazing Alamance County leaders and social organizations!  

Anne Cassebaum (far right) and members of Alamance Peace Action

Statement from ANAACP member and Alamance Peace Action spokesperson, Anne Cassebaum:

Alamance Peace Action marches with the Alamance NAACP because many of the problems we both care about have their roots in Pentagon overspending and our endless foreign wars. Tax money needed for education, Medicaid, and other community needs get diverted to the Pentagon instead. Even military surplus and over-reliance on violent solutions spill over to the police and the tactics that the Black Lives Matter movement protest. We want to end the violence and, as our banner says, “Bring Our War Dollars Home.”

Elon student organizer, Amy Belfer (left) and ANAACP President Barrett Brown (right)

Statement from ANAACP member and Elon student and organizer, Amy Belfer:

The march is a chance for Elon students to stand up to hate and discrimination.  We want to show solidarity to marginalized groups, and show that love and compassion always wins in the end. There is so often a negative stigma between university students and surrounding community members.  We want to break down that stigma and show that we care about the rights of people of all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and immigration statuses.  As young people, it is our responsibility to stand up for education reform, voting rights, civil rights, criminal justice reform, the rights of immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA rights, gender equality, racial equality, and religious equality.  This is our community, our state, our country, and our future.  We will continue to fight for our communities until every person has equal rights and access to equal opportunities.

Alamance Pride President Ken Smith (second from right)

Statement from ANAACP member and Alamance Pride President, Ken Smith:

Alamance Pride is proud to participate with the NAACP and the thousands who marched today to protest the discriminatory HB2 and other social justice issues. We will continue to take our seat at the table and to be involved. We will not shy away from educating and advocating for the LGBT folks in Alamance County. We are thankful for all the support we receive locally.

With our partners, we will continue to move FORWARD TOGETHER! NOT ONE STEP BACK!