Women Running For Public Office Forum Highlights the ‘Change’ That’s Needed
Chapel Hill, NC – On January 19th, panelists at the fourth annual Women Running for Public Office (WRFPO) program continued the message – “It’s Time For Women to Run for Public Office.” Panelists included Anita Earls, Associate Justice – North Carolina Supreme Court; Valerie Foushee, Senator – North Carolina General Assembly; Barbara Foushee, Carrboro Board of Aldermen; Sharon Avery Davis, Durham County Register of Deeds; and Joal Broun and Rani Dasi, Members – Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education.
Each panelist made a brief opening statement in response to three questions provided to them in advance: (1) What inspired or motivated you to run for public office? (2) What is the charge of your elected position? How do you, or will you seek to best serve all of your constituents? (3) What single issue are you most concerned about in 2019? How do you to impact it? Several panelists spoke on the need for “change.”
One shared that she ran for public office in order to have a seat at the table where decisions are made; she wanted to be a part of the change. Another said she didn’t have a big bank account but she believed in the voters of the state. Her focus is on how to carry out the change that’s needed. One speaker noted that if we don’t protect the right to vote we will lose our democracy. The Register of Deeds reminded us that some older citizens do not have an ID and her staff helps them get an acceptable photo ID. Racial bias in education and in the justice system motivated several of the participants to seek public office.
One is exploring staff training to mitigate the effects of such bias. Another observed that justices need to learn more about how their work impacts racial bias. The panelists shared the belief that women bring a different voice and a different set of experiences to the position and that research shows that outcomes are better when women are involved.
The event was presented by Chapel Hill-Carrboro Area Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, along with Kappa Omicron Chapter at UNC–Chapel Hill, Triangle Park Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Branch of the NAACP. Over 100 women, including students from UNC-CH attended the event at The Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill.
The purpose of the WRFPO, non-partisan, program was to inspire, inform and encourage women to be engaged in public policy-making in our communities, our state and our nation. For those women who already have a desire or have made the decision to seek a public office, the program helps equip them with essential knowledge and requirements to move forward, successfully.
Lastly, the program provided an opportunity to meet community and state leaders face-to-face, hear their stories, and observe that these women are not dissimilar from themselves.
The President of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is Lorraine Coleman. Program moderators were Sybil S. Henderson, Social Action Committee Chair; Mary Phillips, Social Action Committee Co-Chair; and Ishna Hall, Corresponding Secretary and Kappa Omicron Chapter, Advisor.
About Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded in 1913 on the campus of Howard University to promote academic excellence and scholarship; to provide support to the underserved; to educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy; and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in communities. Today, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority has more than 1,000 chapters worldwide and has initiated over 200,000 members. The sorority uses its Five-Point Programmatic Thrust of economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement to develop its national programs. For more information, please visit www.chcaa-dst.org.
