Community Voices

The North Carolina Social Justice Project proudly presents the Community Voices Forum Series. This ongoing outreach and education initiative of NCSJP is designed to bring discussion about topical and relevant issues of importance to communities around North Carolina.

Stay Tuned for our Next Community Voices forum sometime in August.

Past Forum topics include:

The Topic: The Real Cost of Foster Care

Former foster children face a variety of hurdles. Many have little or no contact with birth families, insufficient support systems and are at higher risk of becoming single parents or living with mental illness. According to a University of Washington School of Social Work study, 60 percent of male former foster children will be convicted of a crime and 40 percent of the women will end up on public assistance.

In honor national Foster Care Month, Join NCSJP in a special screening of From Place to Place on May 23rd on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, and for an important panel discussion afterwords about the topic raised by the film.

After aging out of foster care, From Place to Place follows plucky underdogs Mandy and Raif on an unlikely journey as they set out to change the system that raised them. The film unearths one of America‟s hidden tragedies, while providing glimmers of hope as to how we can better care for our most vulnerable children.

The discussion was led by:

-Hon. Marcia H. Morey- Chief District Court Judge of the 14th Judicial District
-Ray Kirk, PhD – Independent Living Services, Inc.
-John Holtkamp – Division Director for Adult, Child and Family Services, Durham County Department of Social Services
-Kelly Andrews – Administrative Office of the Courts, North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program

The Topic: What’s the Big Deal about Voter-ID’s?

This is an issue for several groups, including the elderly, those without financial resources, those with disabilities, and others. Our panel includes representatives of organizations whose constituents may be profoundly affected by this proposed legislation.

The discussion was led by:

- Damon Circosta, Executive Director of the NC Center for Voter Education
- Sarah Preston, Legislative Director, ACLU of North Carolina
- George Reed, Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches
- Bill Wilson, Advocacy Director for AARP of North Carolina.

Weren’t able to make it to the last Community Voices discussion? No problem – you can listen to it here.

Still have question? Drop us an email!