Phone banking, planning, and petitioning, oh my! Driving over to my first day at the Democracy Winston- Salem office, I did not know what to expect. Would we start immediately? What would be the focus of this summer? However, from the moment I walked in the office, I knew that this summer would be a summer of action, not just thoughts. My teammate (Charles, pictured right), our organizer, Ms. Sutton, and I headed over to a Minister’s Conference in Winston Salem, NC. We listened and discussed organizing and transportation to upcoming “Moral Monday” protests. We often only see the final outcomes of these meetings: rallies in the newspaper, or “Moral Monday” demonstrations on TV, but it was inspiring to see all the work that happens behind the scenes ahead of these events and to witness the passion and dedication of everyday people who make sure they’re a success.
The next day was spent planning our summer and phone banking. I used to dread phone banking, finding any way I could to get out of it. I expected the people I called to be disinterested, some maybe even hostile. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the majority of callers were curious about the legislation which would reduce early voting. I found myself and my partner having in-depth conversations with people who shared their thoughts and experiences with early voting and wanted to get involved. Looking at our calendar for the next two months, attending these events and talking with impassioned citizens makes me very optimistic about this summer. It really is shaping up to be a summer of not just thought but ACTION!!!
Shelby and Charles– Winston-Salem Team
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