There is a road, no simple highway Between the dawn and the dark of night And if you go, no one may follow That path is for your steps alone
– robert Hunter, the grateful dead
January/February 2026
“I’m 57 years old, and I still call her Ms. O’Donnell,” Deanne says, smiling. “When I talk to my friends, I’ll be like, ‘Look, y’all need to get yourself your own Ms. O’Donnell. You can’t have this one right here.’” Deanne knows firsthand that people can count on Randee’s continued civic dedication as she revives a series of kitchen table talks with members of the community. “I want to use the classroom skills I have in teaching to help bring together the community and help folks understand how to identify their voice [and] how to find comfort in exercising their voice – because if it doesn’t happen locally, it’s not going to happen at the state level, it’s not going to happen at the national level,” Randee says. “Young people are my heart.” Randee has already held four kitchen table talks to listen and learn about what Carrboro residents think about human rights, women’s reproductive rights and tenants’ rights. Another major category of concerns centers around the climate, local stormwater mitigation and resilience, and environmental preservation, protection and conservation. The third set of topics focuses on water quality, access and quantity, and PFAS pollution. “Folks in a community have different needs, and they have to know their needs matter,” Randee says. “You meet people where they are, and you help them to improve their lives where they are. You see a vast improvement in how someone feels about themselves and interacts with the world when they gain confidence in their own voice.” chapelhillmagazine.com
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