By George Friday

September 2021

On August 16th members of newly formed branches in the Carolinas met in Gastonia, NC at the Esquire Hotel restaurant.  Co-chairs of Southern Anti-Racism Network (SARN), Theresa El Amin and Chantaye McLaughlin, attended the meeting. SARN covered the cost of lunch for all attendees.

New members of the Triangle branch (Rosa Saavedra, Mary White, Ashley Carrington) were invited but unable to attend.  Rita Gonzalez, Kim Porter, Samantha Turner, Cate DeMallie, Stacey Friday, and George Friday with the Triad branch were present. Jennifer Disney, Winthrop College professor in Rock Hill, South Carolina attended.

Conversation centered on building the Triad branch and starting a Piedmont branch.  (Triad area is Greensboro, Winston Salem, High Point, and areas North of Charlotte.  Piedmont area is Charlotte, Gastonia, and areas West and South of the Triad.) Jennifer Disney and Danielle Redman Foxx will organize South Carolina’s Rock Hill/Fort Mill branch.

After a scrumptious lunch including appetizer, entree, dessert and drink, each Carolina attendee named 2-3 people they will personally ask to join WILPF US.

We plan to return to the Esquire in October to access our progress.