Southern supporters of universal healthcare, including members of Health Care Justice and Health Care for All NC, are calling for all health professionals and health professions students/trainees to join N.C. White Coats Supporting Healthcare for All in a massive white coat action
at the HKonJ (Historic Thousands on Jones Street) People’s Assembly on Saturday, Feb 11, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina from 9:00 until 12:30.
What:
• White Coat participation in this march continues our advocacy for health and healthcare justice, including expansion of Medicaid to 500,000 North Carolinians.
• HKonJ is comprised of groups and citizens in NC who, with leadership from the NC NAACP and Reverend William Barber, stand for voting rights, public education, healthcare justice, the environment, and other progressive issues, many of which impact health. The annual gathering helped inspire the Moral Monday movement in which thousands of North Carolinians performed civil disobedience at the state legislature to protest harmful legislation being passed by lawmakers. Many doctors were arrested during the movement to show their support for universal health access! The Moral Monday movement has spread throughout the South and Rev. Barber has taken his powerful message about the importance of agitating for sustained social justice around the country, including to Ferguson, Missouri, and the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Why:
• White coat gatherings carry powerful moral authority, and a massive white coat block in this crowd will send a message to the US and the world that NC health professionals stand for their patients with courage and determination.
• A large turnout of health professionals and students will make a difference in the political climate in NC and the US and will inspire others around the country who are fighting for access to care, Medicaid expansion and other issues that affect our patients.
When:
• Pre-march rally starts at 9:00, march starts at 10:00. Post-march rally runs until about 12:30.
We urge you to come to Mecca Restaurant, 13. E. Martin St., at 8 AM to meet new friends, greet old friends, organize for future actions, and avoid traffic. A group of us will be there to welcome you. Students and trainees eat for free!
Where:
• Meet at 9 AM on the steps of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts/Memorial Auditorium (Meymandi Concert Hall) at the southwest corner of E. South St and S. Wilmington St. (across the street from Shaw University)
Downtown parking is free on Saturdays. On this interactive map http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/get-around/parking, the closest deck to our gathering place is the southernmost deck (called Performance Arts Parking Deck)
How:
• Show up in your white coat to the rally. Signs and banners are also great, but your presence in your white coat is a powerful symbol in itself. We will have some extra white coats for health professionals to borrow.
• Forward this email and invite your friends/organizations to the Facebook page (NC White Coats Support Healthcare for All). Tweet (twitter handle @NC_White_Coats), text, taunt—whatever it takes to get your people out.
Information about buses going to the march will be available at www.hkonj.com.