Blog
Last chance to register for our CLE
Don’t forget to register for our CLE on February 7, all day in Durham. And bring your friends! Register here→
Get Trained on the Family Police
Don’t be fooled by the name–the “child welfare system” is another system with roots in white supremacy and slavery. Emancipate NC’s newest project is the Carolina Parent Defenders. We will be the first organization dedicated to representing parents who have been...
Celebrating Clemency
Phillip Vance Smith, II is an incarcerated man serving Life Without Parole in North Carolina’s state prisons. He is represented by Elizabeth Simpson at Emancipate NC. He wrote this reflection on Governor Cooper’s clemency actions. When former Governor Roy Cooper...
Racist Election Theft Today
The racism and hatred that fueled the Wilmington Massacre of 1898 remains powerful in the State of North Carolina. Today, we see an example of white rage in the Republican judicial candidate, Jefferson Griffin, who lost his election for the state Supreme Court....
Emancipate Goes to Wilmington
Dawn Blagrove traveled to Wilmington, NC this week to join a Town Hall for Black citizens to voice their concerns in the current political moment and turn hope into action. The forum was hosted by the NAACP of New Hanover County, the National Black Leadership Caucus,...
Year End Round-Up
Two Emancipate NC clients, represented by Ian Mance, with the investigation assistance of Margaux Lander, had their Life Without Parole sentences commuted by Governor Roy Cooper. Brian Fuller and Dwight Jordan are now eligible to apply for parole. Look for more...
Terminally Ill People Languish in NC Prisons
Emancipate NC's client, Phillip Vance Smith, II, is an incarcerated journalist. He wrote an article about North Carolina's new compassionate release law that impacts people incarcerated in state prisons. “One doctor said I got two-to-four years left to live,”...
Do Police Belong in Schools?
According to Indy Week, 80 schools in Wake County, including some elementary schools, all middle schools, and nearly every high school, are employing School Resource Officers (SROs). Emancipate NC’s Elizabeth Simpson expresses concern about the punitive...
Proclamation in Honor of Sam Cooke
On December 16, 2024, the Durham City Council commemorated Sam Cooke's legacy, marking 60 years since the release of A Change Is Gonna Come, one of the most significant songs in American history. Cooke wrote the song after speaking to North Carolina Central University...
Protest Charges Dismissed!
On December 19, Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman announced his office would dismiss the final eight cases against UNC protesters set for trial on December 20. The decision followed Judge Samantha Cabe’s written ruling that the state...
Welcome Dillon Sharpe!
Dillon F. Sharpe is a civil rights attorney dedicated to defending the rights of individuals and promoting justice. He plays a vital role in Emancipate NC's Don't Plead to Weed campaign and passionately advocates for protesters and organizers facing criminal charges....
The Emancipated CLE: 2025
Join us on February 7, 2025, in Durham, NC, for the 3rd annual The Emancipated CLE. This Continuing Legal Education seminar is designed for lawyers, law students, and advocates working in the movement law space. The event features five panels, offering 5.0 hours of...
Gifts with Purpose
Give a gift that makes a difference this holiday season! Emancipate NC offers meaningful merch that supports the fight for justice and equality. Hats, tees, sweatshirts, tanks, and notebooks -- each item not only makes a unique gift but also helps fund our mission to...
Poetic Justice 2024
In September, Emancipate NC hosted our seventh annual Poetic Justice event, welcoming a variety of poets to the Global Breath space. Church Da Poet read a poem written by an incarcerated Emancipate NC client, Phillip Vance Smith, II. Mesinjah sang a song about ending...
Welcome to the 2025 Justice League
This Fall, Emancipate NC welcomed 31 new Justice League members from across the State of North Carolina. Please join us in congratulating our largest cohort yet! Nyesha Adkins, a mother of five, is a born native of Rocky Mount, NC. She is passionate about helping the...