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Our Common Cause HBCU Student Action Alliance empowers students at North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We’re strengthening civic engagement as we help students make their voices heard on campus, in the community, at the ballot box and in the halls of government.

Through the HBCU Student Action Alliance, our Common Cause NC Democracy Fellows are active at all 10 HBCU campuses in North Carolina, including:

  • Bennett College
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Fayetteville State University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • Livingstone College
  • NC A&T State University
  • NC Central University
  • Saint Augustine’s University
  • Shaw University
  • Winston-Salem State University

Meet our campus coordinators:

Our campus coordinators – Vashti Hinton-Smith, Jazmyne Abney, Shi’Anne Caldwell, and Destiny Jordan – work side-by-side with students recruited from North Carolina's HBCUs to be Democracy Fellows. These students help develop organizing campaigns on their campus around issues of vital importance to their community and educational institution, as well as advocate for issues in the halls of state and federal government.

Vashti Hinton-Smith
HBCU Program Manager

Vashti leads our HBCU program and helps empower student-leaders at HBCUs in the Triad region.

Jazmyne Abney
Triangle Community & Campus Organizer

Jazmyne helps empower student-leaders at HBCUs in the Triangle area.

Shi'Anne Caldwell
Outreach & Engagement Organizer – Charlotte

Shi'Anne helps empower student-leaders at Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College.

Destiny Jordan
Northeastern Community Organizer

Destiny helps empower student-leaders at Elizabeth City State University.

See some of the great work of our Common Cause Democracy Fellows:

Common Cause NC HBCU Democracy Fellows kick off spring 2024 semester
2023 Year in Review
Students at NC Central University 'Soar to the Polls' for Durham’s 2023 election
At 2023 HBCU Think Tank, student leaders discuss power of voting
2022-2023 HBCU Student Action Alliance Report

See what our outstanding Democracy Fellows accomplished this past year

Town hall at JCSU in Charlotte looks at ways to boost participation among young voters

Johnson C. Smith University and voting rights groups hosted a town hall event to hear directly from students about effective ways to boost participation at the ballot box.

Students make their voices heard at North Carolina legislature for HBCU Advocacy Day

Students from across North Carolina came to the state legislature in Raleigh for an HBCU Advocacy Day.

2022 Year in Review

See highlights of the great work done this year by our HBCU Democracy Fellows

NC A&T State University students vote in 2022 election

Students from NC A&T State University in Greensboro went to the polls to vote in North Carolina’s election.

Fayetteville State University students march to the polls

Students from FSU went to vote early together in Fayetteville

Shaw University & Saint Augustine's University unite in march to the polls

Students from the two historically Black universities in Raleigh made their voices heard at the ballot box

NCCU students march to the polls in Durham

Students from NC Central University made their voices heard at the ballot box

JCSU students go to the polls in Charlotte

Students from Johnson C. Smith University made their voices heard at the ballot box

NC A&T, Bennett College students march to the polls for the primary election

Students from NC A&T State University and Bennett College marched to the polls together in Greensboro to vote in North Carolina’s 2022 primary election.

Shaw University students march to the polls during NC primary election

Students from Shaw University in Raleigh marched to the polls to vote during North Carolina’s May primary election.

‘Drawing People to the Polls’ chalktivism campaign helps engage NC college students in this year's election

Murals were designed to depict the urgency and power of young people’s vote.

Voter registration event at Elizabeth City State University

Common Cause NC Democracy Fellows helped students at ECSU get registered to vote and get ready for the 2022 election in North Carolina.

Bennett College students host Greensboro candidates forum

Ja’Nylah Johnson and Ashley King, two Bennett College students and Democracy Fellows with Common Cause NC, organized a Greensboro City Council candidates forum on their campus

Helping WSSU students register to vote

Our Democracy Fellows helped students at Winston-Salem State University get ready for this year's election

Celebrating 15 years of empowering HBCU student leaders in North Carolina

This semester marks the 15th anniversary of our HBCU Student Action Alliance

2021 HBCU Leaders Think Tank

Common Cause NC and the NC Black Alliance host student leaders from North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Column: North Carolina must end racial discrimination in jury selection

Ashley King writes that the NC Supreme Court could send a strong message that the days of prosecutors striking Black jurors with impunity are over.

Redistricting 101 for College Students

Learn about redistricting, how it impacts you and what you can do to fight for fair maps

End of Semester Impact Report: Spring 2021

Learn about the crucial work and accomplishments of our HBCU Democracy Fellows during the spring 2021 semester.

Column: Charlotte must help residents experiencing homelessness

Marcus Ponder, a student at Winston-Salem State University, writes about the need to help those struggling with homelessness in Charlotte.

Column: Where is the Dream?

Jazmyne Abney, a student at NC Central University, writes about educational inequalities facing our state and nation.

Column: I Am Not An Angry Black Woman – Period.

Jameliah Pinder, a student at Shaw University, writes about the hurtful stereotypes, injustices and inequalities that black women face in our society.

Jacob Richardson: Common Cause NC Democracy Fellow

Meet Jacob Richardson, a student at NC A&T State University and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause North Carolina

Jazmyne Abney: Common Cause NC Democracy Fellow

Meet Jazmyne Abney, a student at NC Central University and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause North Carolina

Nijah Williams: Common Cause NC Democracy Fellow

Meet Nijah Williams, a student at NC A&T State University and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause North Carolina

Marcus Ponder: Common Cause NC Democracy Fellow

Meet Marcus Ponder, a student at Winston-Salem State University and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause North Carolina.

Our Voices Matter: NC Youth Town Hall

The HBCU Student Action Alliance with Common Cause NC hosts a discussion on pro-democracy work and issues relevant to college students.

Ashley King: Common Cause NC Democracy Fellow

Meet Ashley King, a student at Bennett College in Greensboro and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause NC.

Jameliah Pinder: Common Cause Democracy Fellow

Meet Jameliah Pinder, a student at Shaw University in Raleigh and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause NC.

North Carolina’s HBCU students are leaders in building a democracy for all

As we celebrate Black History Month, we recall the rich legacy of brave student activists, past and present, at North Carolina’s HBCUs who have played a crucial part in the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements.

2020 Year End Review

The 2020 election year was a rich and challenging environment for our HBCU Democracy Fellows program.

Saint Augustine’s University students march to the polls on Election Day 2020

Led by the school's marching band, the SAU community walked together to the polls on Election Day to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Democracy Fellows share why voting matters to them

Our Democracy Fellows have a message for North Carolina: vote!

On HBCU Voters Day, students get registered to vote and ready for the election

Students at HBCU campuses across the state registered to vote and got nonpartisan information about the 2020 election.

Livingston College students register to vote

Common Cause NC and Black Voters Matter helped students at Livingstone College get registered to vote.

Livingstone College students discuss civic engagement

Students at Livingstone College met to exchange ideas on how to boost civic engagement among young voters.

Saint Augustine's University students register to vote

Students at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh registered to vote ahead of the 2020 general election.

Column: Students can, and will, save our democracy

Jazmyne Abney, a student at NC Central University, writes about the power college students have to be heard in the 2020 census and election.

Column: Democracy under pressure

De’Quan Isom, a student at Shaw University, writes that "our democracy, today, stands under pressure but in that pressure diamonds can be made."

Column: Instituting politics on HBCU campuses

Love Caesar, a student at NC A&T State University, writes about implementing institutes of politics on HBCU campuses to build student civic engagement.

HBCU Democracy Fellows promote census participation

Our Democracy Fellows went on social media to encourage students to be counted in the 2020 U.S. census.

HBCU students make their voices heard in NC primary election

HBCU students in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville and around the state cast a ballot in North Carolina's primary.

St. Augustine’s University students march to the polls on Super Tuesday

"I was a little emotional. We learn about people who died for our right to vote. I don’t want what they did to be in vain.”

NCCU students march to the polls in North Carolina's 2020 primary election

Students at NC Central University walked together to an early voting site on their campus to cast a ballot in North Carolina’s primary election.

Livingstone College students help educate public about primary election

Livingstone College students were at the polls to help spread the word that photo ID was not required for the 2020 primary election.

'Party at the Polls' at NC A&T State University for NC primary

Our Democracy Fellows helped organize a Party at the Polls to encourage students to make their voices heard in the primary election.

Bennett College students register to vote

Ashley King, our Democracy Fellow at Bennett College, helped students get ready for the 2020 election by registering to vote.

2020 HKonJ Moral March in Raleigh

HBCU students made their voices heard as North Carolinians rallied for our democracy

Column: It’s time to make time for college students to vote

Kylah Guion, a student at NC A&T State University in Greensboro, writes on how colleges can make voting more accessible for students.

Column: Gender Equality – When Will it Happen?

Ashley King, a student at Bennett College in Greensboro, writes on the need to achieve gender equality now.

NCCU students march to the polls for Durham's election

Led by the school's Sound Machine Marching Band, students at NC Central University walked together to the polls to vote early in Durham's local election.

St. Augustine's students go vote in Raleigh election

"I hope that this helps students recognize that we need to vote," said Mackeyla Davis, a student at SAU and a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause NC.

Shaw University students march to the polls for Raleigh’s election

“I hope that this will build a lifestyle of voting, where students will be encouraged to vote not just in this election, but in every election to come,” said DeQuan Isom, a Democracy Fellow with Common Cause NC.

NC Central University students speak up for democracy

Democracy Fellows at NC Central University are working to engage their fellow students in the democratic process and making their voices heard as HBCU student leaders.

Students hold HBCU Lobby Day at the NC legislature

Organized by the Common Cause HBCU Student Action Alliance, the lobby day allowed students to meet in person with legislators to discuss funding for their schools and protecting voting rights of students.

Bennett students on why voting matters to them

Students at Bennett College in Greensboro have a message for North Carolinians: go vote!

FSU students educate Fayetteville residents about election

Students from Fayetteville State University canvassed the community, sharing nonpartisan voter guides with residents and encouraging them to go vote.

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