Blog
Attention, Greenville: Seeking Information about Officer Jennifer Umphlet
Officer Umphlet was involved in an incident with our client, Anthony Drayton, at a McDonald’s in February 2025. We are gathering information to better understand community experiences and perspectives related to this officer. We welcome input from anyone who has had...
Congrats to Phillip Vance Smith, II — Journalist of the Year!
Huge congrats to friend of Emancipate NC on the 2025 Stillwater Award for Journalist of the Year! From Phill: "Earlier today I found out that I won the 2025 Stillwater Award for Journalist of the Year. This award only applies to incarcerated people, but it is a...
Kerwin Pittman Wins the 2026 Conen Morgan Trailblazer Award at the NC Black Summit
Congrats to Kerwin on his receipt of the Conen Morgan Trailblazer Award at the NC Black Summit! In Kerwin’s own words: "When your work speaks for you, even in your absence, you know you're walking in purpose. I am deeply honored to have received the 2026 Conen...
Amani Collective Community Center
By Dedan Waciuri The upcoming opening of the Amani Collective Community Center at 1100 Ward St. in Greenville is about more than just a new building—it’s about creating a space rooted in the community. The center is especially focused on serving youth and...
The Callais Decision
Last week, the Supreme Court invalidated Louisiana’s congressional map, delivering a devastating blow to voting rights by gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and paving the way for states to enact discriminatory maps without accountability. As we learned of the...
Dawn Blagrove Honored at Bloom in Power
Dawn Blagrove was honored at Bloom in Power: Embracing Our Crowns, hosted by the North Carolina A&T State University chapter of Black Girls Vote. The evening focused on building confidence, fostering community, and celebrating individuality. More than just an...
What is ‘Failure to Appear’?
Did you know that from 2010 to 2025, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office pursued Felony Failure to Appear (FTA) charges in about 25 cases? Even more concerning, from 2017 to 2025, only Black men were charged with Felony FTA—including one of Emancipate NC’s...
‘Police Policing Each Other’
Commenting in a recent News & Observer article, “Ties to Highway Patrol leadership raise questions in NC deputy’s killing” by Virginia Bridges, Dawn Blagrove, Executive Director of Emancipate NC, noted that it is highly unusual for so little information to be...
Kerwin Pittman Takes the Stage at the North Carolina Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference
At this year’s North Carolina Rehabilitation and Reentry Conference, Kerwin Pittman stood not just as a speaker, but as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of second chances. His presence on the stage marked a full-circle moment—one that resonated...
Dawn Blagrove Speaks with ABC11: Juvenile Crime in Wake County on the Decline, Data Shows
Dawn Blagrove spoke with ABC11 regarding a recent release of data showing that juvenile crime in Wake County is on the decline. "It's very encouraging that the numbers are going down," Blagrove said. "But we need to start addressing this issue with a scalpel and not a...
Dawn Blagrove to Present: Kerwin Pittman to be Honored at NC Black Summit
The 20th Annual NC Black Summit, hosted by NC Black Alliance, is set to convene leaders, advocates, and community members for a powerful gathering focused on strengthening Black civic engagement across the state. This year’s summit marks two decades of building,...
Proteus Fund Spotlights Emancipate NC’s Defense of Student Protestors
Proteus Fund recently highlighted Emancipate NC’s work—alongside Muslim Advocates—defending student protestors in North Carolina. The feature points to a major legal victory: a federal court blocked the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from enforcing...
Emancipate NC and the ACLU of NC Move to Restore Gender-Affirming Care in North Carolina Prisons
Emancipate NC, alongside the ACLU of North Carolina, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and requested class certification in a lawsuit challenging a harmful provision of House Bill 805. Passed in 2025 despite a veto by Josh Stein, the law restricts access...
Toia Potts Featured in TEDx Talk: “Motherhood Cannot Be Erased by the State”
Emancipate NC proudly celebrates Toia Potts, who recently delivered a powerful TEDx Talk at TEDxLake Alfred. In “Motherhood Cannot Be Erased By The State,” Toia challenges the legal and social frameworks that attempt to sever the bonds between parents and their...
Gerrymandering Your Cousins: Dawn Blagrove’s Remarks on the North Carolina Black Alliance Podcast
In the North Carolina Black Alliance podcast episode “Gerrymandering Your Cousins,” hosts break down how the drawing of political districts can reshape democracy in North Carolina—often in ways that weaken the political power of Black and marginalized communities....