Month: March 2022

Southern Coalition for Social Justice Calls out City of Raleigh’s Lies on Redistricting

Posted on | by Wake County Housing Justice Coalition | 2,136 Comments on Southern Coalition for Social Justice Calls out City of Raleigh’s Lies on Redistricting

Last week, in response to how the City of Raleigh voted on the redistricting, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (Twitter: @scsj) have sent a letter to the City of Raleigh, urging the city to correct their attorney’s “inaccurate statement about Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (“VRA”), and correct mischaracterization of SCSJ’s statements provided to the Study Group on Council Terms/Salaries and Voter Engagement/Participation in December 2021, and show support for a community-informed process before the March 31, 2022 deadline to adopt a revised map.”

The SCSJ has stated that the variations within the maps “may substantially impact residents”, and yet the city said that the changes “will not have a substantial impact”. The SCSJ stated in their letter that claiming the changes would have “no substantial impact” on voters of color, “was incorrect and incomplete.”

To make matters worse, Councilmember Patrick Buffkin asked the City Attorney whether or not the city should follow VRA’s Section 2, and following discussion, Councilmember David Knight made the motion to approve the changes to the map, followed by everyone on council, except Councilmember David Cox, voting in favor.

For the city to be willing to lie before the public of the severity of the impact their redistricting plan will have on the voting powers of the communities of color, and for the city council to find ways to get out of having to follow the Voting Rights Act instead of doing better about adhering to it or even strengthening the voting rights, is downright disgraceful.

The people in the City of Charlotte have sued against their city for diluting Black voting power this past month. The City of Raleigh should also be sued for violating the voting rights of the Black, Latinx and Asian populations.

Read the full letter sent to the City of Raleigh by the SCSJ below:

SCSJ_Letter_to_CouncilDownload

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin DEMANDS Respect of Her Authority While Giving NONE to the People

Posted on | by Wake County Housing Justice Coalition | 2,094 Comments on Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin DEMANDS Respect of Her Authority While Giving NONE to the People

Truth is to be backed with evidence.

Truth is not truth just because you say so as the authority.

You cannot demand another to recognize your words as “Truth” if evidence says otherwise.

You reflect poorly as a leader of a city if you will only respect people as “human beings”, if people respect you as an “authority”.

See clip below of how Raleigh Mayor, Mary-Ann Baldwin, slams the gavel on Raleigh community activist, Wanda Hunter, for speaking truth to power.

“Ma’am.” “MA’AM!”

It’s amazing that the mayor did not threaten to drag people out with police like she did the last time when people clapped.

Remember July 2021???

Watch the video here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRGGoOBnoYt/

Truth must be backed with evidence.

Respect must be earned.

Neither are things you can simply “demand” from the people.

The Raleigh City’s Mayor and its entire council who actively played a part in this injustice toward the Black communities must be held accountable.

Rage-Chalking at the City of Raleigh’s Racist Redistricting (Gerrymandering, Gentrification, Genocide)

Posted on | by Wake County Housing Justice Coalition | 1,881 Comments on Rage-Chalking at the City of Raleigh’s Racist Redistricting (Gerrymandering, Gentrification, Genocide)

On Tuesday, March 1, 2022, the Raleigh City Council scheduled a public hearing on the redistricting of the city.

The council voted 7-to-1 to approve a scenario that not only will move 55,000 people to different voting districts in Raleigh, but moving majority-minority precincts into whiter districts – effectively diluting Black voting power and separating communities of color in the city. This is effectively gerrymandering.

Please know: “Gerrymandering” also happens in the city, when you are changing district lines that changes voting powers.

Please know: “Gerrymandering” aligns with “Gentrification” and “Genocide”.

We recommend people to watch the youtube video to see for yourself the atrocity that the Raleigh City Council is committing against communities of color and immigrants, but we have also done the rage-chalking last night right in front of the Municipal Building to summarize some of the main takeaways from the hearing.

Enjoy the art, learn the corruption, vote out the Raleigh City Council in November 2022.

Raleigh City Council Patrick Buffkin asked the City Attorney if they are required to follow the Voters Rights Act (VRA), to which the attorney said no. Councilmember Buffkin was happy to know he’s not required to follow the VRA. He’s now running for NC Senate-13.
Is this the man you want on your NC General Assembly?
Why is it that the cities always move the precinct with the majority-minority into a whiter district? Why not the other way around?
There was a resident, who is an immigrant currently living in Brentwood in District B, who plead for the city not to separate her family and communities. The city continues to talk about the redistricting issue as if it’s just about balancing the numbers. They continued to ignore the impact on race.
The city has committed grave injustice, and they all must be held accountable.
Councilmember Cox was the only one who spoke and stood up for the communities of color.
The decision is clear.

They all must go. At this point, the City of Raleigh is too corrupt as they are boldly crushing the rights and powers of the Black communities and immigrant communities in the city without any fear of repercussion or consequences, and the city staff and attorney are all assisting them in their endeavor to consolidate the power of the white supremacy.

Remember this on November 2022 when you see the ballot for Raleigh City Council. Do not vote for any of the incumbents.