It’s time for ‘good trouble’ with Erika Alexander on Sunday
Producer, actress Erika Alexander joins Bishop Barber for voting rights discussion, screening of documentary ‘Good Trouble’
Discussion to be held Sunday at Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro
With the pivotal 2022 midterm elections as the backdrop, actress and producer Erika Alexander will visit North Carolina on Sunday to lead a discussion on voting rights and to screen her documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble.”
Alexander will join Bishop William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, for the discussion and screening at 3 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 21) at Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, where Bishop Barber is the pastor. Church doors open at 2:30 p.m.
“John Lewis: Good Trouble” focuses on voting rights hero Rep. John Lewis, who died in 2020. The title comes from a quote by Rep. Lewis: "Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."
This discussion is especially relevant in North Carolina, where the Forward Together movement has fought repeatedly for voting rights and won. It challenged what became known as “monster voter suppression law” – introduced in 2013, just hours after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.
And the movement recently won a case to reinstate voting rights for 56,000 people who served time for felonies and have been released.
But another threat to democracy is on the horizon after the U.S. Supreme Court decided last month to hear a North Carolina case regarding congressional and presidential elections. It could give more power to state legislatures and block state courts from reviewing challenges to procedures and results.
Meanwhile, the fight to fully restore ballot access nationally continues as the Senate has refused to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill would restore the VRA that the court gutted in 2013 to full strength, in part by once again requiring states with histories of voter discrimination to receive approval from the Department of Justice or a federal court before enacting voting changes.
A more sweeping bill titled the Freedom to Vote Act would affect everything from the way congressional districts are drawn to how campaigns are financed.
Sunday’s program at the church at 2110 N. William Street in Goldsboro is open to the public, but registration is required and seating is limited. Masks are required, and temperatures will be checked as part of Greenleaf’s COVID protocols.
BACKGROUND ON ERIKA ALEXANDER
Erika Alexander is beloved for her iconic acting roles as Maxine Shaw (Living Single; garnering two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress/Comedy Series), Detective Latoya (Get Out), “Cousin Pam” (The Cosby Show), Perenna (Black Lightning), Linda Diggs (Wutang: An American Saga), Barb Ballard (Run The World; nominated for NAACP Best Guest Actor), and most recently as “Meredith Lockhart” (Swimming with Sharks), and in the critically acclaimed Apple+ series starring Elisabeth Moss, Shining Girls, as Abby Keegan.
Erika wears many hats: actress, trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer and director -- and is one of the country’s boldest, most daring, and powerful voices. As a creator, she recognizes the power of storytelling. And she believes that though content must be entertaining, when carefully constructed, stories have tremendous capacity to create impact and meaningful social change. As co-founder of Color Farm Media, she is on a mission to bring greater equity, inclusion, and diverse representation to both media and electoral politics.
Erika has boldly stepped into the arena of film director, with her debut film “The Big Payback” co-directed with Whitney Dow. The documentary chronicles the story of the first reparations bill in American history for African Americans.
A critical thought leader on racial and gender equity and leadership, Erika’s work in content reflects her deep commitment to social activism. She serves as a board member for One Fair Wage and Exponent, and is highly involved with many other social and racial justice orgs, including; The Poor People's Campaign, Color of Change, NAACP, UNCF and others.