The Story of Granville Street Park in Oxford Shows the Power of Organizing in Rural NC Communities

Source: Medium

No one would have blamed you for looking at the muddy grass, cracked blacktop, rusty playground equipment, and the two spots where basketball hoops stood more than 20 years ago at Granville Street Park in Oxford, and thinking to yourself, “This park has seen better days.”

In fact, not only would no one blame you for thinking that, but members of the local community would probably invite you to come over and learn about the park’s history and its impact on the community back in its better days. 

They would also likely tell you about how the story of this small park located in one of Oxford’s Black neighborhoods is more than just a tale about growth, decline and renewal, it’s a story about people coming together to organize and wield their combined political power to change their community for the better.Click here to read more about how local Down Home North Carolina members in Oxford figured out how to fund renovations for the park and how they organized, knocked on doors, circulated petitions and got a whole community behind them

Share:

More Posts

Trump administration’s move to shut down USAID will have major economic impacts on North Carolina

The move will impact more than just the 10,000 workers the agency employs and the humanitarian work it does overseas. North Carolina is the fourth-largest recipient of USAID funding in the United States, with state-based organizations receiving nearly $1 billion a year. That funding helps bolster a robust global health sector that adds $31.9 billion every year to North Carolina’s economy and employs 120,000 people.

To have their voices heard, thousands gather throughout NC to protest Trump, Musk, and Tillis

Earlier this month, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh to protest President Donald Trump. The protest was part of a larger event “50 states 50 protest 1 day” (50501) to oppose the president’s actions taken in the first month of his second term including a slew of executive orders that have caused chaos and confusion for the people of this country and the federal agencies that support them.

El Pueblo Lanza una Guía de Emergencia en Español para Inmigrantes Latinos

El Pueblo, una organización de derechos de los inmigrantes latinos con sede en Carolina del Norte, lanzó una guía de emergencia en español titulada “Familias Seguras. Guía de Emergencia para Inmigrantes”. La guía tiene el objetivo de informar a las familias inmigrantes latinas sobre sus derechos y prepararlas para posibles interacciones con las autoridades migratorias y de la ley, citando las preocupaciones sobre el aumento de las operaciones del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) durante la administración de Trump.

NC Republicans Push to Strip Power from Democratic Leaders—Again

This time, the NC GOP is targeting Attorney General Jeff Jackson, who has recently defended the state from the White House’s federal funding freeze, Elon Musk’s national data breach, and Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship. 

Senate Bill 58, proposed earlier this month, would prohibit the attorney general from making any legal argument that would invalidate an executive order issued by Trump.