People of Color Face High Hurdles in NC

On May 23, 2007 more than 500 persons -- African-American, white, Latino, Native   Americans, women, men, children, young and old -- gathered in Raleigh for   the first annual People Of Color Legislative Day.

We met in the historic   First Baptist Church, marched to the legislature and lobbied on behalf of a   people of color agenda that includes full funding for low-wealth schools,   increasing the minimum wage, universal health care, support for the Voting   Rights Act, increased access to affordable housing, abolishing the death   penalty, goals for minority contracting, access to college for Latinos,   increased funding for historically black colleges and a host of other items.  

Why? Because its not over yet.

It can be hazardous to be poor and a person of color in North   Carolina. People of color are more likely that their white counterparts to   earn lower incomes, less likely to receive a sound basic education, more   likely to be homeless or live in substandard housing, more likely to be   incarcerated, more likely to live near landfills, chemical or toxic waste   dumps,  who we take money from and if we do let them know more likely to die of hypertension, cancer, AIDS and other diseases,   more likely to be raped or physically assaulted, more likely to die young,   and more likely to bury our young as victims of gang violence.