Built By Us Media spotlights movement makers and shakers across North Carolina. Hosts Kai and Joselle sit down with organizers, activists, and working-class people who are fighting for justice, building power, and making sure our voices aren't just heard, but centered. Every episode connects you with someone who's putting in work for liberation, and gives you the tools to join them. Because the North Carolina we deserve is being built by us. Learn more at democracync.org!
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In this episode of Built by Us, we sit down with Debbie Karamera and Alexia, two of Democracy North Carolina's Democracy Summer Friendterns, to talk about what it's really like organizing for voting rights as young people in North Carolina right now. They break down the attacks on campus voting access at schools like NC A&T, Elon, and Western Carolina, why the argument that students "aren't really…
This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. Listen to Part 1 featuring Bryan Proffitt of the NCAE first. If a child's opportunity depends on their zip code, race, or family income, are we really giving every child the same chance? In Part 2, Kai sits down with Susanna Benitez of the Education Justice Alliance, leading the Every Child North Carolina Coalition, and Sarah Montgomery of the NC Justice…
Recorded prior to May 12, 2026, before North Carolina lawmakers agreed to a budget framework that includes raises for teachers, law enforcement, and other state employees. What if the condition of your child's classroom wasn't an accident? Kai sits down with Bryan Proffitt, Vice President of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), to trace how North Carolina went from ranking 25th in…
North Carolina is the only state in the country without a comprehensive budget approved for this year, and the people are paying the price. In this episode, host Kai McNeil sits down with Sally Hodges-Copple and Moriah Collins from the NC Budget and Tax Center to break down how a $29.7 billion budget gets made, why it's stalled, and what an upside-down tax code actually means for working families.…
The March primary is over, but the election process isn't. Right now, 100 county boards across North Carolina are in the canvass period, and most people have never heard of it. In this episode of Built by Us, host Kai McNeil sits down with Democracy NC's Senior Policy Analyst Brian Kennedy and Professor Michael Bitzer, Director of the NC Center for Politics, to break down what canvassing actually…
Kinston, North Carolina is known as basketball heaven – producing more NBA players per capita than anywhere else in the world. But right now, democracy is under attack in the same town that gave us Brandon Ingram, Cedric Maxwell, and Jerry Stackhouse. A polling site in a densely populated, predominantly Black neighborhood might be removed to avoid conflicts with high school basketball games.…
In this episode, Joselle sits down with Hannah Preston, a North Carolina social media influencer and public health advocate. They discuss the importance of grassroots digital organizing in driving political change, the intersection of health equity and democracy, and the need for sustained civic engagement beyond election cycles. Hannah shares her journey in public health, the challenges faced…
On January 13th, 2025, the North Carolina State Board of Elections voted 3-2 along party lines to eliminate campus polling sites for the 2026 primary, including at North Carolina A&T State University, the nation's largest public HBCU. This isn't about convenience. This is a deliberate pattern of making it harder for young Black voters to participate in democracy. In this episode of Built by Us,…
In this episode, Joselle and Beatrice delve into the pressing issues of 2026, focusing on the aggressive tactics employed by ICE and federal agencies that target communities rooted in historical oppression. They discuss recent efforts aimed at disenfranchising youth voters, particularly on HBCU and college campuses across North Carolina, and highlight the importance of voter protection in the 2026…
2026 Elections and What Democracy Means This Year What if 2026 isn't just an election year, but the fight for representation itself? In this Season 6 premiere of Built by Us, host Kai McNeil sits down with Professor Dr. Irving Joyner from North Carolina Central University to examine the high stakes of the 2026 midterms and what democracy actually means for North Carolinians right now. Professor…