At the United Power for Action Delegate Assembly in Durham, more than 1,100 community leaders heard from candidates for the North Carolina State Council on issues such as housing, education, health, access to food and immigration.
Democratic candidate for Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Democratic candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green pledged to respond to the needs of these communities.
Organized by Congress of Latino Organizations, ONE Wake, Orange County Justice United, Latino Power and Durham CAN, the assembly, which took place on Sunday, October 20, highlighted the collaboration between the diverse communities of the state.
“Collaboration is essential to amplify our voices and ensure that community issues are discussed and resolved at the highest levels of government,” said Iván Parra, executive director of the “Latino Congress” to Enlace Latino NC .
Also participating were Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross and Green Party candidate Michael Wayne Turner.
Although Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein did not attend, he sent a letter of support.
Republican candidates for governor Mark Robinson, Attorney General Dan Bishop and Department of Public Instruction Michelle Morrow were absent.
Jeff Jackson's Commitments
During the event, Democratic Attorney General candidate Jeff Jackson pledged to meet with community leaders at least twice if he takes office.
In addition, he agreed to visit mobile home parks to learn about the challenges their residents face and pledged to address the rights violations they face.
Jackson responded “maybe” when asked if he would conduct research and legal opinion on disparities in local interpretation of the U visa. The candidate said he would consider the formal process.
“I don't know about launching an investigation; there's a formal process that goes into that. I'll give it a maybe,” he added. “I'll take appropriate action; that action may or may not be a legal opinion.”
He also affirmed his commitment to maintaining the Civil Rights Division within the Attorney General's office and to defending the civil rights of all North Carolinians regardless of race, nationality, language or country of origin.
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Mo Green's Commitments
Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Mo Green also pledged to meet with community leaders at least twice if elected.
He also said he would support the 14% increase in teachers' salaries in the government budget.
While he does not have exclusive power over the education budget, Green promised to work with the governor to prioritize these increases.
He also pledged to restore additional pay for teachers with master's degrees and expand the scholarship program for future educators.
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Voice of the Latino community
Around 320 members of the Latino community attended the event to make their voices heard to the candidates.
“Hispanics, many of us already have a vote. I have one,” said Deacon Luis Royo of Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Durham. “We are here to tell our candidates to listen to our needs.”
Royo warned the candidates: “Do not ignore the needs of the Hispanic community, because the future of your candidacy probably depends on us.”
Ivan Funes Martinez, an activist from a mobile home community in Cary, highlighted some crucial problems: the right to have mailboxes and the lack of property titles.
“What you take for granted is vital to us,” Funes stressed. “We realized that many of us had paid multiple times for our property titles, which we never had in our hands.”
The community continues to fight to recover these titles, collaborating with ONE Wake, the Latino Congress, and Attorney General Josh Stein.
"We're here because we want to ensure that whoever is elected Attorney General continues the fight for us and our property titles," Funes concluded.
Jackson, a Democratic candidate, responded to Funes, calling him “a perfect example of the need for a people-focused Attorney General.”
Enriqueta Jiménez Ramírez, from the Justicia Unida group, expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to evaluate the candidates' priorities.
“It is very good for us to hear the candidates who are offering their support to the community in the things we need,” said Jiménez Ramírez to Enlace Latino NC .
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