By Elizabeth Simpson
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision protecting the right to abortion, effectively canceling the right to bodily autonomy for women and pregnant people. We know this decision will impact poor women of color most of all, and that it is designed to have that impact. Team Emancipate supported protests in Raleigh on Friday by marching and legal observing. The Freedom Fighter Bond Fund was on standby in case of need.
We know that the United States Supreme Court is illegitimate. We know that the way this unaccountable and unprincipled Court came to fruition was voter suppression and structural racism. Because of gerrymandering, the structure of representation in the U.S. Senate, and the Electoral College, it is extremely difficult for Black people to have enough votes to win governing power, even in coalition with people of color and progressive white people.
Voting is important; we all need to vote. But voting is not enough. Many people are asking: What now? What can we do?
At Emancipate NC, we are mourning. We are angry. We are tired. But, also, we see glimpses that we are building something new. We are building an organization where we try so hard to respect people’s freedom and autonomy and dignity, even when it is challenging and even though we will make mistakes. We are building – together with so many others in North Carolina and across the South – a movement of people who see through political rhetoric and easy solutions. We are building with people who demand authentic justice, even if it takes longer to achieve.
We are offering weekly mutual aid packages in Greenville. We are offering solidarity and support to people organizing in rural counties, like Tyrrell and Pasquotank. We are bailing out fathers so that they can be with their families on Father’s Day. We are answering the phone when people call us from prison and we are listening to them and we are trying our best to help with what they need.
And when we need a break, we are resting.