Posted August 11, 2015
This summer Moises was invited by the NAACP to help organize Latino participation for the Moral Monday March for Voting Rights in Winston-Salem, NC. The rally marked the beginning of the trial for N.C. NAACP vs. Pat McCrory, challenging one of the most damaging voting rights suppression laws since the 1960’s. On Monday July 13, thousands turned out in downtown Winston-Salem to protest the unjust law that eliminated same-day voter registration, removed preregistration for 16-17 year olds, reduced early voting, and brought stricter requirements for voter IDs (although the mandate was lessoned).
Speaking at the rally, Moises called for unity among black and brown communities saying “together we must work to dismantle the racist ideals that we inherited from our colonizers” and got the crowd to chant “sí se puede.” Spanish for “yes, it is possible,” or roughly, “yes, we can,” you might recognize the slogan from President Obama’s senate and presidential campaigns, but its origin goes back to the 1970’s as the motto for the United Farm Workers. Dolores Huerta, UFW’s co-founder, came up with the slogan during Cesar Chavez’s 24-day fast in Phoenix, AZ.
Moises was joined by his mother Victoria, other activists from Yadkinville, and his niece and nephew braved the heat to attend their very first rally.
Read more about the trial here.