Affirming NC’s Public Investments — An Opportunity for Action

The North Carolina Council of Churches is a member of the Together NC Coalition. In light of the current state budget crisis, the coalition is offering concerned citizens one way to show what they value in the state. Here’s some information on what they’ve got planned:

Together NC: Stand Up for NC

A mobilization event to affirm NC’s public investments

What Is It?

-VIDEOS of individuals or groups telling their personal story about how drastic cuts would hurt them and then standing up to urge the Governor and legislators to do the same

-PHOTOS in front of state-funded locations (i.e. parks, police stations, schools, etc.) with a poster that includes the hastag #StandUp4NC

Why Are We Doing This?

1) Document personal stories of how a cuts-only approach will devastate North Carolina’s economic recovery.

2) Demonstrate that individuals in all parts of the state would support a balanced approach to the state budget shortfall, including new revenue.

3) Provide support for Governor Perdue and state legislators to stand up for our state’s public investments and raise revenue.

How you can participate now

·Find a smartphone or a camera that you can upload media from to the internet or your computer.

Take a picture of yourself or friends/family in front of a public· investment (such as a library, community college, fire station, elementary school) holding a sign with your message.

Messages can be broad, such as “Stand up for NC and protect our public· investments” or specific, such as “Keep my fire station open by taking a balanced approach to the state budget”.

Upload the video or photo directly to Twitter and use the·

hashtag #StandUp4NC.

-OR-

·Send it to Clayton Brooks at cbrooks2010@gmail.com 

Save the date for our statewide Stand Up Day on February 21, 2011

On President’s Day, we will gather in Raleigh in front of the Governor’s mansion and in several cities across North Carolina. At an appointed time, we’ll all stand up at the same time (with live video feeds capturing all of us standing up across the state) and call upon the Governor and the legislature to Stand Up for North Carolina by taking a balanced approach.

–Aleta Payne, Development and Communications