With 132 calls and 32 canvasses made this week, Shari Burrell is our Phonebank Champion of the week! 

​Here is a statement that Shari wrote, explaining why she believes in phonebanking:

"Because we could not have more at stake and limited ways to reach out to people, I will be phonebanking every week. If I am to be honest, this has always been my least favorite thing to do. However, over the course of these last three weeks, I have had many wonderful conversations. People very much appreciate our efforts to reach out to them, to get them forms, to let them know how they can vote safely, to hear their concerns, as well as, their resolve to stand in line as an act of resistance to voter suppression. Even though the majority of calls are not answered, the connections we do make are vital. They build a necessary foundation to our democracy. I will continue to reach out to our voters and ask each of you to join our effort."

If you would like to get involved in our phonebanking efforts, start by signing up for phonebank training. Since May 19, the Forsyth County Democratic Party has held 20 trainings and trained 120 unique individuals.

Gull Riaz is this week's Phonebank Champion. Gull made a total of 283 calls and 52 canvasses to Forsyth County residents this week, urging them to register to vote and request Vote By Mail request forms. When asked about the secret to his success, Gull replied, "the secret to my success is the enjoyment in voter outreach, talking with many different people from Forsyth County within my nearby precincts!"

The efforts by Gull and many more volunteers will make Democrats successful in November. If you would like to phonebank for the Forsyth County Democratic Party, start by signing up for one of our phonebank trainings! Sign up today: https://www.mobilize.us/forsythcountydems/ 

Young Democrats of Forsyth County president, Quamekia Shavers, remains committed to community activism, even in the midst of the difficult times facing Forsyth County. 

In recent weeks, Quamekia has taken the lead on several notable events to address police brutality in the Forsyth County community and beyond. On June 3, Quamekia, along with The Pride Show and LGBTQ Democrats of Forsyth County organizations, facilitated a protest in opposition to recent police brutality around the United States. This "Peace for ALL Protest" embodied nearly 200 participants and elected officials all marching from the Benton Convention Center to the Winston-Salem Public Safety building in solidarity for this cause. Quamekia said that, to her, "the protest was about making history, creating change, and protecting future generations."

Quamekia has also recently joined several Forsyth County Democratic candidates to discuss the issues facing Forsyth County. On June 10, Quamekia joined State Senate candidate, Terri LeGrand, on Facebook Live to discuss the police brutality aftermath and plan the strategy to keep the Black Lives Matter agenda moving forward. And on June 12, She sat down with Forsyth County Commissioner candidate, Chris Smith, in a conversation about the Black Lives Matter Movement and helping erase systemic racism.

Quamekia continues to shine in the Forsyth County Democratic Party through showing tremendous leadership and character. That's why she is our Good News Democrats story of the week! Here are some photos from her recent events:

On June 3, the Young Democrats of Forsyth County and Forsyth County LGBTQ Caucus sponsored a peaceful protest in downtown Winston-Salem. The event included a march and a stop along the route in the shade of the trees at the Winston-Salem Police Department to hear from elected officials, including Police Chief Catrina Thompson, who gave a passionate and inspiring speech.

Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, who had also marched with the group, spoke as well about his desire to come back to Winston-Salem and serve his hometown community - and his commitment to justice in law enforcement.

Councilmen Dan Besse and Jeff MacIntosh along with candidate for District Court Judge, Whit Davis, also marched with the group and spoke to the crowd.

We also were able to register some new voters at the event - Arnita Miles staffed a voter registration table. As well, we shared the importance of requesting absentee mail-in ballots and handed out ballot request forms to many protestors. 

Many thanks to Quamekia Shavers, president of the Young Dems, and Katie Rogers, president of the LGBTQ Caucus, for creating an event that was positive, peaceful and family-friendly. 


Here are photos from the protest: