Why Democracy Matters: Charlotte and Raleigh tour stops

At the heart of democracy is a simple but powerful idea: One person, one vote. But in North Carolina and across the country, challenges to voting rights, growing special interest influence and politically-influenced redistricting have thrown up barriers to participation and diminished the voice of ordinary voters.

Charlotte. On Wednesday, October 5th, a coalition of groups including N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, the N.C. AFL-CIO, Common Cause NC, Democracy North Carolina, Institute for Southern Studies, League of Women Voters, N.C. NAACP, N.C. League of Conservation Voters, N.C. PIRG and NCWARN will hold a special form to highlight the need for “pro-democracy” agenda as communities across the state work to support good jobs, strong schools, racial justice and a safe environment for all.

The forum, entitled “Why Democracy Matters,” will be hosted by the League of Women Voters – Charlotte at the Asian Herald Library.

Speakers at this forum will include: Chris Kromm, Executive Director of the Institute for Southern Studies and Rhiannon Fionn, Award Winning Journalist and Filmmaker on Coal Ash

Please join us for this special event on Wednesday evening, October 5th, from 6:30-8:30 pm. Your RSVP is requested, but not required.

Please RSVP here for the Charlotte event.  

Raleigh.  On Wednesday October 5th from 12pm-1pm at the Junior League of Raleigh,  the NC Justice Center will host a Crucial Conversation with Karen Hobert Flynn, President of the national nonprofit watchdog, Common Cause to discuss: How do we repair our broken democracy?

Has American democracy reached a crisis point? If the 2016 election campaign is any indication, this seems a fair assessment. Between the toxic combination of big, dark money, rampant gerrymandering and voter suppression, weak ethics laws and an often dysfunctional news media, the situation can sometimes seem rather bleak and, perhaps, even beyond repair.

Karen Hobert Flynn shares these concerns. As the President of Common Cause, a venerable and nonpartisan nonprofit that battles the forces of reaction and operates under the motto “holding power accountable,” she is acutely aware of the deep problems that confront the American experiment in the 21st Century. Fortunately, Flynn remains optimistic that the American people can and will overcome these enormous challenges and that, better still, the current state of affairs can provide the precise impetus necessary to spark real and lasting change.    

Please join us as we hear from this important national leader at this critical moment. 

Please RSVP here for the Raleigh event.  Box lunches are $10.