Metro IAF Affiliates Unite in Power at Statewide Candidates Assembly

On Sunday, October 20th, in North Carolina, 1,100 people from local Metro IAF affiliates and other member organizations joined forces at a  non-partisan assembly with candidates for statewide office. Together, they proudly launched their new statewide network – North Carolina United Power for Action – and asked candidates to publicly state whether they would act on our shared priorities, including affordable housing, accessible mental health care, consumer protections for mobile home park residents, food access, and public safety.

Check out candidate responses here.

This assembly marked the culmination of a year-long organizing effort involving leaders from ONE Wake. Durham CAN, Orange County Justice United, the NC Congress of Latino Organizations, and the Forsyth County Sponsoring Committee. Since early spring, these leaders have worked on volunteer research action teams, identifying shared priorities across their network and crafting practical, achievable solutions that the next Governor, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction will have the authority to implement.

Together, they called on candidates to support a diverse range of community-led solutions, including directing the State Property Office to identify state-owned land for affordable housing development, protecting mobile home park residents from substandard living conditions and predatory rent-to-own schemes, ensuring the Department of Health and Human Services provides linguistically and culturally accessible mental health care, and collaborating with our network to move private sector CEOs to invest in housing and food access within our communities.

The assembly’s purpose went beyond securing candidate commitments – it was also a powerful moment to launch a renewed network capable of creating change at the state level. North Carolina operates under Dillon’s Rule, meaning local governments only have the authority granted to them by the state. In this environment, local power alone is insufficient to tackle the top issues affecting our families and communities.

Nearly every candidate in attendance said YES to the proposals presented to them, and pledged to meet with this new network if elected. Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, Attorney General Dan Bishop, and Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Michelle Morrow declined to attend. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein also declined, but sent a letter of support.