Emancipate NC is proud to announce that Executive Director Dawn Blagrove will deliver the keynote address at the North Carolina National Organization for Women (NC NOW) 2026 State Conference on November 7 in Chapel Hill.
Dawn’s keynote, “How Mass Incarceration Hurts Women and Families,” will examine the devastating effects of incarceration on women, children, and families across North Carolina, including the harms caused by the cash bail system.
Drawing on her experience as an attorney and longtime advocate for incarcerated people and their families, Dawn will address how incarceration affects not only those behind bars, but also the loved ones who face family separation, financial hardship, housing instability, and lasting emotional consequences. She will also highlight how people who have not been convicted of a crime can remain jailed simply because they cannot afford bail.
Through her leadership at Emancipate NC, Dawn has worked alongside families and community partners to challenge the harms of mass incarceration, advocate for humane treatment, and push for policies that keep families together. As she has emphasized, early intervention and meaningful support are essential to improving outcomes for women and children impacted by the criminal legal system.
The NC NOW conference, themed “Stop the War on Women NOW!”, will bring together advocates to discuss threats to women’s rights and strategies for advancing equality and justice.
We are proud to see Dawn bring her expertise, compassion, and unwavering commitment to justice to this important gathering. Her keynote will shine a light on the often-overlooked experiences of women and families affected by incarceration and reinforce the need for a more humane and equitable approach.
Conference details: Saturday, November 7, 2026, at United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Read the full announcement from North Carolina NOW for more information→