On January 9, Bishop William J. Barber II, Indivisible, North Carolina Council of Churches and several North Carolina organizations will detail their forthcoming “Love Forward” march and mass mobilization, condemn ICE’s deadly Minnesota shooting, and reveal long-term plans to mobilize voters for the midterm elections.
RALEIGH, NC — On Friday, January 9, 2026, in the continued spirit of the “Moral Mondays” movement, faith leaders and residents from across North Carolina will gather in Raleigh for a press conference to condemn newly-drawn discriminatory electoral maps and announce a major moral action: a multi-day “This Is Our Selma” march from Wilson to Raleigh, North Carolina, from February 11–14, 2026, followed by a state and national Moral March and People’s Assembly on Saturday, February 14, Frederick Douglass’s chosen birthday.
This historic action—grounded in the theme “It’s Time to Love Forward”—will unite people of conscience from across the nation to stand shoulder to shoulder for fair elections, health care, living wages, environmental justice, and an end to policy violence that harms the poor. The march and mass mobilization will take place at the very start of early voting and same-day registration in North Carolina, underscoring the power of civic engagement in this critical election year.
At Friday’s press conference, leaders will first take a moment to honor the life of a woman wrongfully killed in Minnesota as a result of unchecked ICE violence. They will also explain why now is the time to move from “resistance” to “mobilizing our passions” toward redeeming the soul of democracy.
Led by Bishop William J. Barber II, President of Repairers of the Breach and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, Friday’s press conference will condemn lawmakers’ coordinated attempts to win elections not by persuading voters, but by stripping communities of power. Speakers will detail how unjust redistricting will likely reinforce policies that kill people – like ICE’s deadly shooting in Minnesota, Medicaid and SNAP cuts, and skyrocketing health premiums.
“We cannot underestimate the significance of this moment. It’s clear that voters in North Carolina and beyond are sick and tired of policies that enrich the wealthy at the expense of the poor and vulnerable. But rather than face the consequences of their morally bankrupt policies, unscrupulous lawmakers have engaged in an unprecedented national crusade to suppress voters who are ready to take them out of power,” said Bishop William J. Barber II. “This is our Selma. It’s not an option to sit back. We need to use our first amendment rights to speak out and demonstrate now, or risk being dragged into a new Jim Crow.”
The February march – which marks 156 years since the ratification of the 15th amendment – will advance the theme, “Love Forward,” a message that encourages us to build a nation of compassion, justice, and love for all humans.
“Through peaceful, nonviolent protest, we will call on America to ‘love forward’ in this historic moment, to imagine the world we want to build. One that embodies a multiracial democracy where every vote counts, every child has health care, and every community elects leaders of its own choosing,” said Bishop William J. Barber II.
Event Details:
WHAT: “Love Forward” Press Conference — The “This Is Our Selma” Movement
WHEN: Friday, January 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET
WHERE: First Baptist Church, 101 S Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC
Members of the Press are encouraged to attend in person.
WHO:
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Bishop William Barber II, President & Sr. Lecturer, Repairers of the Breach; National Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign
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Indivisible
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North Carolina Council of Churches
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NC Poor People’s Campaign
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Union of Southern Service Workers
LIVESTREAM: https://breachrepairers.org/get-involved/live/
