Engage HER on Campus- UNC Charlotte Edition, “49ers Make Good Trouble: From Campus Activism to the Ballot Box”

Throughout this crucial election season, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is teaming up with several local universities to get students and the community involved in the political process. Our next event is in conjunction with UNC Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte is a campus with a rich history of social and political activism aimed at pushing for change on both a local and national level. From civil rights protesters of the 1960s, anti-war proponents of the 1970s, LGBTQ activists of the 1980s, and Black Lives Matter organizers of 2020, 49er students and faculty have a rich tradition of taking on injustice and making what Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis would call “good trouble”. 

Join us on October 20 at 7 p.m. for a virtual event that will bring together campus activists and local leaders who all made “good trouble” to push for positive change in their communities. City Council Member Braxton Winston will serve as the keynote speaker and will be followed by a panel of student, faculty, and community activists dedicated to achieving justice and equity in Charlotte today. Learn about the legacy of activism from 49ers past, what is driving activism now, and ways we all can advocate and push for the causes nearest to our hearts and communities. 

One crucial place to start this election season is at the ballot box. In our own city of Charlotte, John Lewis said, “the right to vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.” This event will also provide information on how to register and vote so you can make your own voice heard during Election 2020.

This program is open to all of the UNC Charlotte campus and the Charlotte community and will be live-streamed on the Library’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel. We hope you will tune in for this opportunity to learn, engage, and even enter for a chance to win a few giveaways! 

In this election year, the Library is partnering with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) offering programs like this one to encourage everyone to look back at what has been accomplished in the past and to move forward with empowerment to make a difference in one's own community. To learn more about Engage 2020, click here.