Blog
Don’t Ask Me Shit: Why Black People Shouldn’t Talk to the Police
The police are not broken. They’re doing exactly what they were designed to do: protect property, enforce white supremacy, and crush resistance. For Black people, especially those who understand our struggle through a revolutionary lens, talking to the police is not...
Cannabis Reform Issue Forum
Join the Child & Family Action Coalition for our next community meeting on Monday, May 19, as we dive into the urgent issue of how cannabis laws are weaponized to surveil families and justify family separation. We’ll share updates on the coalition’s work to...
Tenant Wins Over $63,000 in Landmark Habitability Case
In December 2024, Emancipate NC staff attorney Jaelyn Miller secured a major legal victory for Jennique Lopez, a Vance County tenant who was forced to live with her children in appalling, unsafe housing conditions. For more than a year, Ms. Lopez’s landlord ignored...
With, Without, and Against the State
“We keep us safe” is a familiar refrain in progressive spaces — and one we hold close at Emancipate NC. Like so many of our partners across North Carolina and beyond, we fight every day — with everything we’ve got — to ensure safety and justice for our communities....
Crisis at Vance County Jail: Unsafe Conditions, Staffing Shortages, and State Intervention
The Vance County Jail is under urgent scrutiny after the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) flagged dangerous conditions inside the facility — including malfunctioning fire alarms, broken cell locks, rampant contraband, and severe...
Support Meaningful Opportunities for Rehabilitation
Commentary by Phillip Vance Smith, II North Carolina lawmakers sponsored the Prison Resources Repurposing Act (PRRA) for the third time as NC Senate Bill 681 on March 25. As an incarcerated man who has been serving life without parole (LWOP) for murder since 2002,...
Off-Probation Celebration Party for La’Dainian Fuller
Join us on Saturday, June 28 in Gastonia, NC to celebrate a hard-won milestone: La’Dainian Fuller is finally off probation. At just 15 years old, La’Dainian witnessed a police officer kick and abuse his twin brother during an aggressive stop over street closures for a...
NAACP Freedom Fund Awards Gala
Join us for an unforgettable evening as the NAACP Gastonia Branch 5394-B hosts its Freedom Fund Awards Gala on Saturday, June 21, 2025 — featuring keynote speaker Dawn Blagrove of Emancipate NC, alongside special guest Dr....
“They Deserve Hope Too”: Children Sentenced to Die in Prison Are Still Waiting for Mercy
Summary of Phillip Vance Smith II's article, "In North Carolina, Juvenile Lifers See a Pathway to Freedom." Some were barely teenagers when they were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. Many endured poverty, trauma, and abuse before ever entering a...
Emancipate NC Sues UNC-Chapel Hill Over Crackdown on Protesters
A few weeks ago, Emancipate NC, alongside ACLU of North Carolina and Muslim Advocates, filed a lawsuit against UNC-Chapel Hill for violating the constitutional rights of student protesters during the 2023–2024 campus demonstrations in...
Charting Our Course Through a Crisis
Mark your calendars! The 19th Annual NC Black Summit takes place April 17–18 at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree — and this year’s gathering is more important than ever. In the wake of a high-stakes election cycle, this Summit offers space to regroup, recommit, and...
Breaking the Chains
Team Emancipate invites you to participate in the “Breaking the Chains” webinar hosted by Meredith College. This dynamic panel discussion will delve into the devastating impact of overcriminalization and harsh sentencing laws on vulnerable communities, while...
Dillon’s Monthly Wellness Check-in
At Emancipate NC, we know that advocacy requires endurance — and endurance requires care. That’s why we’re creating intentional space for reflection, connection, and healing. Starting this Sunday, join us for our first monthly Wellness Check-In! 🧘♂️ What: A virtual...
Back to Black Conference
Last week, Emancipate NC’s Dedan Waciuri traveled to Miami, FL to attend the Back to Black conference — a powerful gathering of organizers, thinkers, and grassroots leaders committed to advancing Black political power across the South. The...
More on Griffin’s Racist Past (and Present)
This week, the captive North Carolina Court of Appeals issued a cowardly, unsigned per curiam opinion — a move designed to hand a critical North Carolina Supreme Court election to a corrupt candidate. Why? Because Republicans know they can’t win...