Emancipate NC’s Dedan Waciuri continues to organize around issues of structural racism in Greenville, NC. Alongside Dedan in Greenville are three Emancipate NC Justice League Fellows: Snoop Thomas, Askari Wawatu, and Brian Tremble.
Dedan’s team has worked to help the community in East Greenville get what they need. This is a community that has experienced disinvestment by the government and corporations for a long time, but now, with gentrification making East Greenville more popular, traditional people are being forced out of their homes. Dedan and the Justice League have worked with residents to fight against unfair code enforcement and to protect elderly homeowners from abuse. They work to build the skills and knowledge of our community members so that we all can earn a good living, live in a secure home, and be safe in our own neighborhoods.
Watch Dedan and Justice League Fellows TikTok about life in Greenville
Meanwhile, the Don’t Plead to Weed campaign in Greenville has also been building momentum over the past year! The campaign started with Dedan court watching, passing out Know Your Rights flyers at the courthouse, and building relationships with people who were coming in and out of the courthouse charged with misdemeanor marijuana offenses. Dedan’s base-building efforts have continued to grow, and now there is a coalition developing out of Greenville to help spread awareness about how to navigate police interactions and drug-related cases. In the coming months, there will be a Don’t Plead to Weed training for folks in the community to learn and develop skills regarding these types of situations.
Emancipate will be recruiting more Justice League Fellows from Eastern North Carolina in the coming months. If you have been impacted by the system and want to share your lived experience and engage with the community on these issues, reach out!
Watch Dedan’s TikTok about what to do if you are stopped by the police