This map of North Carolina shows the stops along the way for the Long March for Unity and Justice. / Credit: Beloved Community Center
In an epic pledge to residents of North Carolina, the Beloved Community Center of Greensboro (BCC) will be embarking on a statewide tour (across 10 dates and locations) dubbed “The Long March For Unity & Justice”.
Ahead of the election this Fall, BCC has put together a tour that will go city-to-city throughout NC, starting this September 20 in both Cullowhee and Asheville. Among the objectives The Long March For Unity & Justice has planned will be conducting grassroots education of the issues surrounding each territory, working with each community on voting initiatives as well as helping residents find out how to get registered, and speak on the issues our country will be facing at the ballot box, locally as well as nationally.
The aims of the movement’s mission spans a multitude of concerns plaguing citizens around America in 2024, including but not limited to, as listed by the BCC mission page, “gender and LGBTQ equality, environmental justice, women’s rights, reproductive justice, youth and students’ rights, racial and social justice, faith and religious inclusivity, worker and labor rights, immigrant justice, and disability justice.”
BCC has had a long history of civil actions throughout North Carolina, with their first being the nation’s first Truth and Reconciliation Process, a commission-based act that aims to heal a community through investigating abuses within select areas while giving victims a chance to tell their stories without cross-examination utilized around the world, back in 1979 in the case of the Greensboro Massacre, which led to an apology from the Greensboro City Council in 2020.
The Long March For Unity & Justice is an extension and continuation of this process, led by Co-Executive Directors of BCC, Joyce Hobson Johnson and Rev. Nelson Johnson, acting on a state-level with the aim to heal divisions, address community issues, build grassroots leadership, affirm truth, and push to transform oppressive policies and systems.
Just announced to join the movement from our own community are leaders from The Freedom Center For Social Justice, Executive Director Bishop, Tonia Rawls, and Deputy Director, Cameron Pruette. Both will be marching alongside fellow community activists Jermaine Nakia Lee, Gracelyn Avion, Nichel Dunlap-Thompson, and the collective will also be joined by the Rhythm of Psalm Drumline.
Multiple groups in and outside of Charlotte will be involved in helping get the September movement around North Carolina, including the NC Black Alliance, NC Council of Churches, Black Workers for Justice, Blueprint NC, Forward Justice, Down Home NC, Freedom Center, Red, Wine & Blue, Poor People’s Campaign, Second Chance Alliance, Union of Southern Service Workers, People’s Power Coalition, Justice Served NC, Southern Vision Alliance, and NC BLOC.
Each date on the tour will feature a march to occur mid-morning or early afternoon, which will lead into the rally happening shortly afterward. The locations across the state listed for the Long March tour include Cullowhee, Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh, Halifax and Northampton Counties, Greenville, Fayetteville, Laurinburg, and Wilmington.
Readers interested in getting involved and supporting BCC and the tour by appearing at the marches and rallies as listed on the BCC site page for The Long March For Unity & Justice can fill out a volunteer interest form on their website. Other opportunities to help BCC in their work, such as sharing the word about the Long March on social media and in public forums, and by donating to the BCC fund directly are welcomed.
The Long March For Unity & Justice will be making its stop in Charlotte on September 22 at 4 p.m., starting with a march that begins at 1600 West Trade Street and ending the day with a rally at 6 p.m. at 1729 Griers Grove Road. All are invited to attend.