An online advocacy group started to foster racial equality among citizens and involvement in local government has grown to more than 700 members in just a few weeks.
Jessica Johnson Stone, of Mount Airy, set up the private Facebook group, “Citizens Unite for Love and Community” after a Jan. 4 article published in the Washington Post spurred debate of race relations in Mount Airy.
Her initial post described the group as “A place where we can bring together the people of the Mount Airy and Surry County area to peacefully encourage equal rights, a community where everyone feels welcome no matter who you are, promote love and acceptance and encourage everyone to become involved in local government matters.”
The group is also descrobed on Facebook as: “Citizens of the greater Mount Airy, North Carolina area who believe in peace, equality, love, and equal representation in local government. We want to encourage local people of all races, creeds, religions, and classes to become involved in local government and vote in local elections.”
Folks with a Facebook account can ask to join the group or be invited by a member. Membership is approved by any of the group’s administrators.
Posts within the group can only be seen by members, providing a forum for those members to make plans, share experiences and to discuss.
Patricia Long, of Mount Airy, one of the group’s most active members, had been invited to join almost immediately after its formation.
“I said yes and we went from there,” she said. “We didn’t know it was going to be that many people wanted to join. I’m very, very happy at the total number we have in the group.”
Group leaders say they are holding conference calls about twice a week. A number is posted on through the Facebook group and anyone is welcome to call in.
Moving forward, the group plans to apply for official non-profit status and is also organizing a march to be held in February.
Shante Anderson, who was raised in Mount Airy and now splits time between her hometown and Charlotte, said seeking Mayor David Rowe’s resignation has emerged as the group’s primary focus.
“I’m not sure if all members are our allies or not,” Anderson noted.
Rowe was quoted as making racist remarks in the Post article and subsequently issued apologies in news reports and an op-ed piece as well as in person at a recent NAACP luncheon and city council meeting, where he stated he will not resign.
Anderson said 30 to 40 members of the Citizens Unite group attended the city council meeting to ask for Rowe’s resignation.
“Did any of us expect him to do so? No,” she said. “The mayor can’t expect to demean an entire group of people and continue to govern the same people.”
Local NAACP officials issued a statement earlier this week that the organization would not call for the mayor’s resignation following an official inquiry.
“The NAACP doesn’t speak for us,” Long said.
Anderson and Long say that position does not reflect how the majority of the people feel, “more specifically, the group the mayor targeted,” of young African-American men.
“There’s no young people in the NAACP,” Anderson said. “Yes, if they want to continue to work with (Rowe) as a citizen that would be good for him. But he doesn’t need to be mayor.”
Pilot Mountain Commissioner Evan Cockerham is a member of the Facebook group.
“I see this group as a much needed call to action,” he said. “This is not a partisan or an us versus them thing. In fact, if he insists on staying aboard – I would call on Mayor Rowe to join this group and advocate along with us for a more welcoming, inclusive and indiscriminate Surry County. His decision to resign or not should be based on whether he is up to the task of making this right. “
But for Anderson, it’s about accountability.
“We accept his apology,” she said. “That does not excuse him from consequences. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and I’ve had to pay for them dearly.”
Long said it felt good to do something positive in the community.
“We want to be active in the community and bridge the gap between races in Mount Airy,” she said. “We want to bring everyone together.”
