Blog
Kerwin Pittman Shares Inspiring Conversation with Bryan Stevenson
Emancipate NC's Kerwin Pittman recently shared a powerful moment in his journey toward transforming the criminal legal system: a conversation with renowned civil rights attorney and Just Mercy author Bryan Stevenson. For Kerwin, who first read Just Mercy while...
Friend of Emancipate NC and Frequent Newsletter Contributor Phillip Vance Smith II in Print
Phillip Vance Smith II recently shared new work published in Narratively "In Prison, I Finally Shared the Story That Had Haunted Me for Years". Phill writes: “This is the first time that my creative nonfiction has been published by such a prestigious publisher....
Emancipate NC Proudly Supports Community Healing Initiative
Emancipate NC is proud to support the newly relaunched Community Healing Initiative (CHI), an innovative, collaborative project dedicated to strengthening the capacity of individuals and organizations to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families...
A Call to Action
Below is a reflection by Patricia King, the mother of Elijah Timmons. As you read her words consider them a call to action, and call DA Murray to demand equitable treatment for the loss of Black life. November 24, 2023 My name is Patricia King. I am the mother...
Dawn Blagrove Brings Real-World Legal Experience to the Classroom at NCCU Law
Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove is bringing her commitment to justice and legal education directly into the classroom this semester as a professor at North Carolina Central University School of Law. In addition to her work leading Emancipate NC, Dawn is...
Dawn Blagrove: Raleigh’s Young People Deserve Real Solutions, Not Curfews
When communities face difficult challenges, the answer should be to invest in young people—not simply restrict them. That was the message from Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove in a September 17 ABC11 story examining Raleigh’s proposed teen curfew. The...
Check Your Voter Status Today—And Share Our Voter Rights Quiz
Your voice matters. Make sure you’re ready to use it. Emancipate NC is reminding everyone to check their voter registration status today and make sure their information is current. Whether you’ve moved, changed your name, or simply haven’t checked your registration...
Dawn Blagrove Teaches the Next Generation of Election Defenders
On September 26, 2026, Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove joined young organizers, students, and community members in Greensboro for GenVote’s “Power Back: A Movement School for Election Defense.” Hosted at the International Civil Rights Center &...
Emancipate NC Brings “Don’t Plead to Weed” to UNC Law
Emancipate NC Organizer Dedan Waciuri and attorneys Jaelyn Miller and Dillon Sharpe recently joined Emancipate NC Strategic Director Elizabeth Simpson’s UNC School of Law class, Social Justice Lawyering, to discuss the real-world impacts of marijuana convictions and...
Executive Director Dawn Blagrove Raises Concerns about the Rise of Surveillance in Raleigh
In a recent article in The Nubian Message, “Flock Cameras in Raleigh: The Ever-Growing Rise of the Surveillance Society in North Carolina’s Capital,” Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove spoke out about the growing use of surveillance technology and its...
Get Trained to Defend Our Communities and Protect Our Elections
Voters should pick our leaders—not the other way around. But across the country, some people in power are working to make it harder to vote, control our elections, and hold onto power. We won’t let them decide our future or define what democracy looks like for our...
Are you in North Carolina with a conviction record? Learn your VOTING RIGHTS in just 15 seconds.
Your voice matters—and protecting your right to vote starts with knowing your rights. Emancipate NC encourages everyone to check their voter registration status and make sure their information is current. Changes to your address, name, or other registration details...
Pro Bono Criminal Record Expungement Clinic
Emancipate NC will be at King Solomon Lodge No. 1 for a Pro Bono Criminal Record Expungement Clinic designed to connect eligible community members with free legal assistance and information regarding criminal-record relief. 📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026 🕙 10:00 a.m. 📍...
Raleigh’s Proposed Teen Curfew: Criminalizing Young People is Not the Answer
An ABC 11 story, “Raleigh leaders plan to vote on teen curfew next month as police chief cites 'trend of violence'” by DeJuan Hoggard and Michael Perchick, explains that Raleigh city leaders are considering a new teen curfew following incidents of violence and large...
Executive Director Dawn Blagrove Honored
Watch as Executive Director Dawn Blagrove accepts March on Washington Lifetime Legacy Award from The National Black Leadership Caucus Watch now→