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A letter from the editor: How the Forsyth Freedom Federation, Guilford For All helped restore my faith in humanity

Oct. 9 is tion with Guilford For All (the Guilford making decisions for [Guilford County], tions. St. Louis and Brown said that is why the last County chapter) steering committee and actually give that power back. Give the Guilford County Board of Commissionday to members, Jess St. Louis and Kay Brown, those voices back to people, and create ers (Districts 4 and 5) election should be register for the fi rst time since March, I feel hope- opportunities for those people to gain at the forefront of every Guilford County to vote in North ful instead of hopeless. knowledge, hold people accountable, and resident’s mind. Carolina. After this “We are a grassroots organization work- actually turn over some seats if they are “What happens in those races will Friday, eligible voters ing to build permanent people power,” doing what they are supposed to in it.” change the conditions for all of us,” St. can still register, but St. Louis said, “in ways that build the “We have to talk about race, we have to Louis explained. “Our county commisthey must do so in leadership of our community that wins talk about gender, we have to talk about sioners failed to respond to the COVID-19

Katie Murawski person at one-stop polling sites during changes people can feel that eventually in the long-term, works to govern with the class, and we are really clear that improving conditions for Black folks, immigrants, crisis by refusing to allocate a major portion of resources to housing, to rent and the early voting everyday people. We, organizationally, be- queer/trans folks, and women in our mortgages— remember, we are facing an

Editor period, which is Oct. lieve that we are up against a set of forces county, means that all of our conditions impending eviction crisis. The priorities of 15-Oct. 31. Why am I that use stu like race, gender, class, and will get better,” St. Louis added. the people that have the governing majortelling you this? Be- immigration status in ways that court Despite what “political” di erences ity are making decisions that benefi t them cause, dear readers, more and more power of the wealthy we may have, dear reader, the truth is, and their friends and not the majority of this election is truly the most important few— rather than ensuring that we live in we have much more in common than our working people in Guilford County. We see one— will the Land of the Free and Home a county that works for all of our people, a liation. these races in 4, 5, and 6 as critical if we of the Brave continue to casually and particularly, people most impacted by rac- We all need better schools for our are going to transform our county.” callously drift toward fascism? Or will our ism, economic inequality, by homophobia, children (or in my case, my nieces and “There is a really powerful framework country, upon which freedom is the foun- and etc. We see it as critical if we are going nephews). We all need a ordable, acces- of people that we are voting for,” she dation, fi nally practice what we preach to have a working democracy that works sible health care, especially during this continued. “We aren’t voting for a savior, and get back on the course of progress? for all people.” pandemic. We need a cleaner environ- we are voting for targets— people we can

Our country, states, counties, and St. Louis, like myself, wants to set roots ment to pass on to the next generation. push to make the changes that we need cities are all plagued with those who sit in the Triad, and Guilford County is where We all need better-paying jobs. We all more or less possible. Even if people are on a throne of power, disguised as civil she wants to grow old. She said that is need a roof over our heads. disillusioned by the presidential election if servants. They are the ones who refuse why she felt a calling to start volunteering But fi rst, we must understand that the people are unsure of what is the decision to serve all of their constituents, but do with Guilford For All. only way we can get those things is if we that causes the least harm and allows everything they can to make sure their “For me, I want a county in which, if I have a system that functions for every- progressive change to be more and more fi nancial interests are taken care of and ever had the honor of being someone’s one, and not just those with the most possible. We are trying to build a political that their wealthy friends and family parent, that children can thrive—that money or infl uence. organization that is far beyond Nov. 3, benefi t. Kay’s children thrive, that Kay can thrive— “We are a nonpartisan organization 2020. We need to develop a level of power

These cults of personalities, (the cur- and I want a county in which we can expe- that organizes around the issues that and coordination into 2021, 2022, and rent one running our country especially), rience the freedom that we are worth, and matter to our people,” Brown said. “So, if all the years to come. Becoming part of a are playing hard-working taxpayers like that we deserve. And in order to get that, you are a Democrat that is in the way, we people’s organization that is working to a fi ddle by having an all-access pass to we have to change the balance of who is will come for you. If you are a Republican set the agendas of what is happening in the best health care, housing, transpor- in power.” that is in the way, we will come for you... our cities, counties, state and beyond, is a tation, and protection that taxpayer As a reporter/editor of this wonderful We have no interest in organizing based really key way in order to make sustained money can buy. The same people who newspaper, I have read, seen and expe- on personal feelings about how likable change over time.” took an oath to serve are taking handouts rienced fi rst-hand the inequalities in our someone is; it is about what position “It is less important to get wrapped up left and right, yet they deny the same communities that the rich and powerful they are taking on the issues, what their in the D and R, and it’s more important opportunities and basic human rights perpetuate and use to divide, in order for platform is, and how will that benefi t, to actually look at the platforms of the to anyone they deem unworthy. The gut them to continue to thrive. change and impact the people of Guilford people, their records, what have they done punch comes when the New York Times “I feel like all of our oppressions are County.” and what those impacts have been for you reports that they don’t even pay into the tied together, and it is going to take us “We see elected o ce as a tool that is and your family,” Brown said. “In order to system they benefi t from. That gut-punch coming together to dismantles these able to be used to make the conditions of move collective people power, we are gofeeling made me realize that enough systems that oppress all of us, whether our lives better for people,” St. Louis said. ing to have to send some strong messages is enough— so I decided to roll up my that is poor white folks, Black folks, queer “We need people in those roles and posi- together. The fact that we don’t have sleeves and volunteer with the Carolina folks— when you come to the core of it, tions that will fi ght for us on the issues, as health care here— that is a huge issue. And

Federation, which is a nonpartisan, grass- all of our oppressions are tied together,” Kay was saying, our role as an organization it is not an issue I consider partisan. It is an roots “statewide organization that brings Brown said. “Typically, I work with mostly is not to just do that but to build a level of issue of like; do we feel that people should local people together across race and the Black organizers, but I had to come to the power so that we are able to continue to not die because they are poor? Should rural-urban divide to build political and realization that this isn’t a system that is infl uence and be able to have our everyday people die if they do not have access? electoral power in their own communities just oppressing Black folk. This is some- folks of Guilford set the agenda.” Should you have to ration your insulin and across North Carolina.” thing all of us have skin in the game to Meaningful change starts at the bot- when in other countries, it is practically

During two phone banking sessions dismantle so that all of us can thrive. We tom, which is why Guilford For All and the free? I think we need to start looking at with the Forsyth Freedom Federation (the need to balance out the power away from Forsyth Freedom Federation are specifi -

Forsyth County chapter), and a conversa- the wealthy, few elites who have been cally focusing on the smaller local elec- JUMP TO NEXT PAGE