Young Democrats of Onslow County

OCDP Juneteenth Unity Fest Volunteer Sign-Up · Onslow County Democratic Party Looking for volunteers to help staff the Onslow County Democratic Party booth at the Juneteenth Unity Fest Friday, June 19, 2026. Time slots are listed below.

When Millennials, Cuspers & Gen Z leaders come together, we turn slow change into big moves.
Onslow goes 🔴➡️🟣➡️🔵 with hard work, sacrifice, and determination.
(And yeah, fun events coming. Stay tuned.)

Last night I spoke at Jacksonville's City Council meeting against HB 1038.
I'm not going to lie, when I speak in front of people my nervous system thinks I'm running from a bear. When I'm passionate, well it shows in tears. Emotion is human, and I'm working on the outward control of it. I appreciate the grace from everyone.

Here is what I had to say.

Thank you council for the opportunity to speak this evening. I do not live within city limits, I did however grow up in ward 2. But if this bill can be introduced by people who don’t live in any ward, I don't have to live in one to speak against it.

This past Saturday, I attended Coastal Carolina Community College’s commencement ceremony to support friends. I too graduated from Coastal, and have since earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from ECU. Sitting through these ceremonies, the message is the same, we are proud to have and support such a diverse community. But this message isn’t just heard at our local graduation ceremonies, it is consistently made public by our Council’s words and actions.

The City’s own website states Jacksonville is a caring community that shows civility and embraces the diversity in our neighbors and friends. This wouldn’t be on the website if it weren’t supported by the Council.

• Councilmember Edwards has highlighted that a diverse, highly qualified workforce is helping Jacksonville grow and has ensured military families and veterans are a top priority.
• Councilmember Yaniero has made his stance clear, that local government should be responsive, transparent, and focused on the real needs of residents. That principle is exactly what the ward system upholds.
• Councilmember Willingham has affirmed that neighborhood representation is essential to community accountability.
• And Councilmember Dr. Washington has consistently emphasized civic leadership and accountability for her constituents.

House Bill 1038 contradicts all of that.
The ward system protects that promise. We already have two at-large seats representing Jacksonville as a whole. If you remove the ward system here, you send a message across our entire county. If this can happen in Jacksonville, it can happen anywhere. They could remove the Aldermen in Richlands, the Commissioners in Swansboro, the local advocates in every small town. It won’t stop at Jacksonville. This is just a stepping stone. Residents across the county are tired of being ignored. They are tired of feeling like numbers, not constituents.

Jacksonville, One City, Our City, My City. Councilmember Smith said it perfectly. One city does not mean one voice. One city means every neighborhood has a voice at the table.

As a fellow Pirate and COB student, I know ECU’s core value of service has been instilled in Mr. Gable. Government exists to serve. Not to silence. Not to dilute. To serve. This bill does not serve.

So I ask our council to vote against house bill 1038, protect our ward system and stand by everything you continuously promote.

Thank you.

🚨 JACKSONVILLE, NC 🚨

We need you 🫵 to flood the gallery tomorrow to help protect Jacksonville’s ward representation system!

Please attend the hearing tomorrow - Tuesday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. in support of the ward system.

HB 1038, filed by NC representatives that do not live in Jacksonville, would eliminate Jacksonville’s ward system and require all Jacksonville City Council Members to be elected at large (giving no specific representation to each ward).

If you cannot attend, please email city council prior to the meeting and include the message that you OPPOSE the bill/would like city council to also OPPOSE in the subject line!

[email protected]

Sample Email You Can Send:

Subject: Oppose HB 1038 Protect Jacksonville’s Ward System

Dear [Representative/Official Name],

I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 1038, which would eliminate Jacksonville’s ward system and move to at-large elections.

Our current ward system ensures that every neighborhood has a voice and representation on the City Council. Eliminating it would reduce accountability and dilute the voices of many residents, particularly those in underrepresented communities.

Decisions about Jacksonville’s representation should be made by the people who live here not imposed from outside.

I urge you to oppose HB 1038 and protect fair, local representation for Jacksonville residents.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

This is about keeping Jacksonville’s voice intact.

Jacksonville’s shift toward “At-Large” voting (HB 1038) could dilute the voices of minority communities.

Ward-based representation ensures our Jacksonville neighborhoods have a direct seat at the table. This change specifically targets our city’s representation structure.

PUBLIC HEARING: May 19 (Sign up by 4:40 PM)

Empowerment Checklist (get informed & armed):
1) Show up early and sign up to speak.
2) Bring a 60-second story: how your neighborhood is impacted.
3) Ask for fair, ward-based representation that protects local voices.
4) Bring a friend and take notes: accountability matters.

Take action with us: Get updates and connect with the Branch at https://www.onslownaacp.org

Join the Young Democrats of Onslow County for a meeting & a movie on Wednesday, June 3rd! We’ll meet in the lobby at 6pm - voice any issues you care about, we’ll discuss actions we can take and how you can get involved - then head into a movie together (poll for the movie to be posted to our stories!)

🗓️ Wednesday, June 3rd
📍 AMC 16 Lobby | 350 Western Blvd in Jacksonville
🕐 6:00 p.m. (movie time tbd). Ages 18-35!

One city does not mean one voice! 🗳️

Join us Tuesday, May 19, at Jacksonville City Hall to protect our representation. Our ward system was won through a 1990 lawsuit to stop racial voter suppression, ensuring minority communities have a seat at the table. Moving to an at-large system threatens to silence our neighborhoods.

To be "informed and armed" is to know your vote is strongest when your representative is your neighbor. We will not return to suppressed representation.

Empowerment Checklist:
✅ Know the History: Wards were won to end voter suppression.
✅ Stay Accountable: Ward representation ensures leaders answer to their neighbors.
✅ Take Action: Your presence signals our community stays heard.

How to respond:
1. Attend the May 19 Public Hearing at Jacksonville City Hall.
2. Arrive no later than 4:40 PM to sign up for public comments.
3. Speak on why ward representation matters to you.
4. Share this post to mobilize our community.

Details: https://www.onslownaacp.org

A Closer Look at HB 696 & Your Medicaid 🩺

We’re diving deeper into House Bill 696 to make sure everyone in Onslow County knows exactly how these changes might affect them. While the bill provides essential funding, it also introduces several new rules:

🗓️ Monthly Eligibility Checks: Instead of checking every 3 months, the state will now verify income and residency every month. This means more paperwork more often: stay on top of your mail!

🛂 Citizenship Verification: There are stricter rules for verifying immigration status, which could impact some legal residents’ ability to keep their coverage.

💼 Work Requirements: Starting Jan 1, 2027, many beneficiaries will need to show 80 hours of work, education, or community service per month.

💰 Higher Costs: Copays for inpatient hospital stays are increasing to $25.

Knowledge is power. We want to make sure no one in our community loses their healthcare because of a paperwork hurdle.

Questions? Reach out or visit our website for more info on how we're advocating for you.
🔗 https://www.onslownaacp.org