Blog
From Don’t Plead to Weed to Local Decriminalization: Emancipate NC Supports Hate Out of Winston’s Campaign
By Attorney Jaelyn Miller For years, Emancipate NC’s Don’t Plead to Weed campaign has challenged the criminalization of marijuana in North Carolina—and the lasting harm that a marijuana charge can cause to people and families. Now, that work is connecting with a...
Opening Doors to Second Chances: Emancipate NC Joins Community Expungement Clinic
By Attorney Jaelyn MillerA criminal record can create barriers to employment, housing, education, and other opportunities long after a person has completed their sentence. That’s why access to expungement and second-chance resources is so important.Emancipate NC was...
Dawn Blagrove Joins Walk Together, Convening to Discuss Protecting Democracy and Defending the Vote
Emancipate NC joined movement partners from across the state at the Walk Together: A 2026 Movement Building Convening for Voter Protection, hosted by Forward Justice, North Carolina Asian Americans Together, and the North Carolina Black Alliance on July 23–24, 2026,...
The Assembly Highlights Contentious Politics Over Emancipate NC’s COVID Litigation in New Article
A recent article in The Assembly, “The Politics of a Prison-Release Settlement,” by Michael Hewlett, examines the political debate surrounding a 2021 settlement that reduced North Carolina's prison population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article highlights...
Inspiring the Next Generation of Black Leaders
Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove was honored to speak at the 12th Annual NC Black Alliance Think Tank, hosted by Shaw University in Raleigh on July 26–28, 2026. This year's theme, "A SNCC Peek: Our Liberation Will Be Socialized," drew inspiration from...
Justice Bus Tour Expungement Clinic Comes to Sanford
Emancipate NC is proud to partner with the NAACP Sanford (Lee County) Branch for the Justice Bus Tour Community Expungement Clinic & Second Chance Resource Fair on Saturday, August 15, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Gospel Lighthouse Church, 407 W. McIntosh...
Freedom Rising Tour: Forsyth County Stop
Dawn Blagrove, Executive Director of Emancipate NC will share reflections and remarks alongside organizers, advocates, and community leaders from across North Carolina, including Adrienne Kelly, Rev. Stefan Weathers, Desmera Gatewood, and Alexia Chavis of Democracy...
Dawn Blagrove Joins Statewide Community Briefing on Legislative Overrides
Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove joined advocates from across North Carolina for a statewide community briefing following the North Carolina General Assembly's override of Governor Josh Stein's vetoes of several controversial bills, including measures...
Emancipate NC Continues Fight to Protect Free Speech at UNC-Chapel Hill
Emancipate NC remains at the forefront of the legal fight to defend the constitutional rights of students and community members who were indefinitely banned from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill following the 2024 campus protests. As highlighted in a...
Dawn Blagrove to Be Honored for Outstanding Service to North Carolina
Emancipate NC is proud to celebrate Executive Director Dawn Blagrove, who will be honored for her Outstanding Service to North Carolina during the 63rd Anniversary March on Washington Celebration Breakfast on Saturday, August 29, at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church...
Emancipate NC Summer Interns
What a wonderful summer we’ve had at Emancipate NC with our three incredible interns. We are so grateful to Hannah Mitchell, Jay Pittman, and Johna Speller for their work and contributions! We can’t wait to see what comes next for this group. In their own words:...
Welcoming April Barber Scales to the Emancipate NC Board of Directors!
April Barber Scales is a North Carolina criminal justice reform advocate, motivational speaker, and published author whose life reflects the power of resilience, redemption, and second chances. After serving more than 31 years in prison for offenses committed as...
Emancipate NC Case Featured in Recent Assembly Article
A recent article in The Assembly by Michael Hewlett examines the growing legal debate over whether the smell of marijuana alone can justify a police search now that hemp is legal in North Carolina. The story highlights the State v. Dobson decision, in which the North...
“They Are Afraid Because We Are Winning”
A recent Carolina Public Press article on North Carolina's latest voting rights battles closes with a powerful message from Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove: "Why are we seeing this? ... Because they are afraid. Why? Because we are winning. It is always...
A Win Against Facebook and Instagram
In our last newsletter, we shared that on June 16, 2026, Meta Platforms permanently disabled the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Durham-based drag performer, artist, and advocate Naomi Dix and her business, Club ERA, a popular queer nightclub in Durham County,...