Welcome to the Winter edition of the North Carolina State Download! We have a ton of new stuff to let you know about, but first, I wanted to let you all know that I am transitioning out of Local Progress after 9 years. We are excited to be welcoming our Southern Regional Director in January who will continue to support the work in North Carolina while building out the regional strategy. Iām not sure what is next for me, but I am exploring opening my own bakery and doing some consulting for local organizations. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of the bold progressive leaders in North Carolina, and have seen LP develop from a staff of four, to now, nearly 40 committed professionals dedicated to supporting the work of our network members. I am proud of the work we have done together to build the institution that is Local Progress!
š³ļø 12 New Latino Leaders Elected Statewide!Ā
In a historic moment for local politics, 12 Latino candidates won municipal offices in North Carolina in the 2025 municipal elections.Ā These victories are distributed across cities and municipalities in the counties: Duplin, Granville, Cabarrus, Orange, Pender, Randolph, Sampson, Wilson, Mecklenburg and Vance, reflecting the growing presence of Latinos in local politics. PleaseĀ email meĀ if you can help to recruit these folks into the chapter!Ā
š§ LPNC Federal ICE and Customs and Border Patrol Response
In mid-November, the Trump Administrationās ICE and CBP departments terrorized the residents of Mecklenburg, Wake and Durham Counties with abductions, racially profiling community members and separating families. The terror has spread and students are staying away from schools and workers are not reporting to work due to the heightened level of fear. On November 19, LPNC convened an emergency gathering of local and state elected officials, movement partners and LP members who have experienced a federal deployment before.Ā
LPNC Co-Chair Kim Roney, Councilmember in Asheville, summed it up, āIt is important for us, as local elected officials, to lead because itāll make space for other electeds to follow as public opinion changes against this. Remember, people look to us as local electeds for guidance and leadership in these times!”
Here are how some of the actions that our members have initially taken to these Federal Deployments:
- Mecklenburg County Commission unanimously affirms constitutional rights and supports immigrants
- The City of DurhamĀ andĀ the Town of Carrboro have becomeĀ the first communities in NC to become 4th Amendment Communities.Ā Here is the sample resolution.
- The City of Asheville also passed a resolutionĀ to protect all residents.Ā You can read more about it here.Ā
Down Home NC has supported a large number of newly elected local leaders in the past couple of years. The purpose of this webinar is to help orient new members as they transition from campaign to governing and to introduce them to the resources LP and its partner organizations can provide. This webinar will be open to any newly elected local leader in North Carolina.
š¤ North Carolina State Strategy Meeting
In 2026, we will be hosting our annual state strategy meeting! Weāre excited to bring members and partners together once again to learn about the incredible work happening across the state and work on shaping the 2026 priorities for the work we will lead together. From climate to housing, protecting immigrant and undocumented communities, LPNC members have been at the forefront of defending our people and pushing back on the Trump Administration. Our State Strategy Meeting will provide an opportunity for our members and movement partners to connect and strategize on how we will not only build power, but wield the tremendous power we have in this state. More to come, stay tuned!
The Local Progress NC Organizing Committee is the governing body for the North Carolina Chapter. As a member-led organization, this committee determines the priorities and programming of the chapter, leads their colleagues in collective efforts of the network, and helps to recruit newly elected members who share our values and our commitment to racial and economic justice. There are currently six members on the committee, but there are vacancies in several regions of the state, including the Piedmont Triad, Metrolina, Mountain, and the Eastern regions. Learn more about the organizing committee or apply to join the Organizing Committee today!
ā”ļø From Campaigns to Governance: A Partnerās Guide to Building Our Base Together
Since January, Local Progress has welcomed more than 400 new members, and with elections over, we need your support to ensure new and returning officials know there is a place for them! You can help by identifying local elected officials to join the Local Progress network ā leaders who are centering racial and economic justice in their local work, building with and collaborating with movement and labor partners, and ready to govern with vision and integrity in the face of opposition.Ā Check out our partnerās guide.Ā
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āļø Help Map Preemption Threats: Nationwide Survey for Local Attorneys
State preemption attacks are increasing and disproportionately harming cities and counties. Our partners at the Local Solutions Support Center are conducting a national survey of city and county attorneys to better understand these challenges and to develop strategies for coordinated pushback.Ā Please share thisĀ surveyĀ with your city or county attorney.
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ā Take Action Today, stand with Starbucks Workers United!
Starbucks workers have been organizing for years, with the Starbucks Workers United movement kicking off in 2021 in Buffalo, NY, where they won their first successful unionization campaign. Across the country, Starbucks baristas are fighting for a fair first contract that increases take-home pay, improves hours and scheduling, and resolves labor violations. We are standing strong with these workers who are bravely striking and calling on Starbucks to stop their union-busting activities and come back to the table.Ā Hereās how you can help:Ā
- Sign our Solidarity LetterĀ calling for Starbucks to end union busting and settle a fair union contract.
- Share the āNo Contract, No Coffeeā pledgeĀ to not buy Starbucks while baristas are on ULP strike.
- Stand with baristas on the picket line!Ā Local actions will be continually added to thisĀ map.
- Repost us across your social media platforms today to tell your audience, don’t cross the picket line!Ā Use the hashtagĀ #NoContractNoCoffeeĀ andĀ repost from the Starbucks Workers United feed.
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š° Join Working Families Powerās Affordability BriefingĀ
Everyone is talking about “affordability” now, but what are the real populist solutions that will make life affordable for working-class people? What are the biggest economic concerns of working families, and who do they think is responsible for their struggles?Ā
This briefing, put on by our friends at Working Families Power, is geared towards elected officials and candidates for office. It will cover the results of our recent working-class polling, which focused on current events, populist economic policy solutions, and narrative frameworks for describing the current economic situation in the United States. Theyāll share effective messages for reaching working-class voters in language they relate to and about issues they care about.Ā The briefing is on December 14 at 4:00 PM ET.
Carl Rist,Ā LPNC Organizing Committee Member, and Durham City Councilmember
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A thirty-year resident of Durham, Carl Rist has been on the City Council in the city since 2023. He became a member of Local Progress shortly after being elected. As a young person, Carl was raised in South Florida. Carl and his wife, Lisa, volunteered for a year with Habitat for Humanity in the Yakima Valley, building affordable housing for immigrant farm workers. After building six homes that year, the waiting list for Habitat was still hundreds long. It was that reality that inspired Carl to study public policy and explore how to address needs at a much larger scale.
In Durham, Carl has made Affordable Housing and Economic Justice two of the biggest priorities of his tenure in office, making him a great fit for our collective work on the two issues affecting so many of our communities. This year, Carl became a member of the LPNY Organizing Committee, helping to build our North Carolina chapter.
Jonathan Melton,Ā LPNC Organizing Committee Member and Raleigh City Council Member
Elected in 2019 as the first openly LGBTQIA+ person elected citywide in Raleigh. Before his service on the Raleigh City Council, Jonathan worked to build safe, inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community and our allies as a founding board member of Stonewall Sports. Because of his involvement with Stonewall Sports, he was afforded a platform that was channeled into further advocacy. In 2017, Jonathan helped create an annual fundraising event for the NC AIDS Action Network. He also joined the Board of Directors of TLC (formerly, āthe Tammy Lynn Centerā).
In his profession as an attorney, he helped create a program that provides pro bono legal assistance to families involved in domestic violence actions in Wake County District Court. Jonathan was elected to the Organizing Committee last month as its sixth member.
We are excited to share that ourĀ 2026 National Convening will be in Baltimore, MD on July 9-11!Ā Local ProgressāsĀ annual National ConveningĀ is a space to exchange ideas, seek inspiration, and strategize together. Itās the place to feel seen in our struggles and affirmed in our resolve and resilience, and, most importantly, to find support and share joy ā especially in the darkest moments. More details and registration information will be coming in the new year, but for now we are excited to share the dates so you can plan ahead.Ā