We Are The

We are a new generation of Shaw Alumni (and friends) who have emerged with a different approach to implement change.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

WSHA sold for $3.5 million. But Shaw had borrowed $2 million from the same company that would later buy the station. Then we discovered a federal lawsuit filed by WSHA's longtime manager, Dr. Emeka. The allegations raise questions that deserve answers. #StopTheRezone #ShawU

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

Before the sale of WSHA, came a whistleblower lawsuit, a $2 million loan, 29 acres of collateral, and a lender that later became the buyer. Do you know the full story of WSHA?

🎙️👇

#SaveOurShaw #WSHA #shawuniversity #shawu

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

No amount of signage, exhibits, or curated history tours
can cover the reality: You cannot celebrate Black history
while actively erasing Black communities.

And some of us are tired of clapping while watching the curtain fall.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

The City of Raleigh has mastered the art of celebration without preservation. They’ll hang banners, paint murals, and host polished exhibits about “urban renewal” like it’s history…
as if it’s not still happening.
As if we’re not watching it unfold in real time. 👇🏽

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

When developments promise “revitalization” of places like Heritage Park, knowing full well that the very people who gave that space life won’t be able to afford to remain. That’s not redevelopment. That’s replacement with better branding. 👇🏽

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

We didn’t fight for Shaw University because it was easy. We fought because it’s sacred.

Built by freed slaves. Home to Ella Baker. The first 4-year medical school in America.

We should’ve been fighting to save it… not each other.

That’s the heartbreak.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

This video aired on @ABC11_WTVD yesterday. Today, that video was scrubbed from the internet & replaced w/another version with the key accountability voice removed. Editing a story doesn’t rewrite the facts. Students could have died. How very MAGA of you. #ShawUniversity #ShawU

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

@ABC11_WTVD @WTVD When coverage is revised and the person holding leadership accountable disappears, that’s not a small edit. Eugene Myrick gone from the story and the original reporter COMPLETELY removed. Here’s the original version. What prompted the change? Inquiring minds want to know.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

@CFColemanJr So let’s form our own political party. Do y’all remember Jimmy McMillian that used to say, RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH. People thought he was crazy - but he created his own legitimate party that actually appeared on the ballot in NY.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

@SenSchumer @allinwithchris Grow a spine - or resign.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

We don’t disagree. But it’s actually deeper than that. It would literally make you sick to know how many black people are being paid and used to sell out their own people. It starts with the wake dems…Other orgs like the rwca and wake co voter edu org were in the parking lots of these polling site, working together, telling voters to vote for Janet, Stormie, Jonathan & Corey. The troubling part is that these ppl were selling Janet hard…someone who is single handedly about to destroy the rest of southeast Raleigh. Sheep indeed.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

This woman is a treasure. Why? Because she always keeps it real. And if you’re wondering how this happened, it’s simple. The wake county democratic party. They aligned themselves with various groups in the community, and had Black people at the polls, telling other Black people to vote for Janet Cowell, and other developer bought candidates. It is absolutely disgusting to see black folks allow themselves to be used this way.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

We’re happy that Christina Jones has been reelected, but at the same time we’re devastated because she won’t be able to get anything done. Mark our words.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

@RaleighLivable Perhaps she simply wasn’t headline worthy. Carry on.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

Dear @RaleighLivable, You claim to be a grassroots, pro-resident organization, unafraid to expose candidates who prioritize developer interests over the people. We've been reading your recent blogs, dissecting city council candidates who, according to you, are too closely aligned with developers due to campaign contributions. You loudly sounded the alarm about "exorbitant" donations flowing into campaigns – except, curiously, you left out a key player: Janet Cowell. For those who don’t know, Janet Cowell is running for mayor, and her campaign has been receiving substantial financial backing from some of the very developers you claim to stand against. Cowell’s history in public office raises red flags as well – she was asked to resign as North Carolina's State Treasurer. Yet somehow, in all of your extensive analysis, there’s been not a single word about her questionable funding sources or her past.

This silence begs the question: WHY?

Are you unaware of Cowell’s developer ties? Unlikely. If you're tracking developer money with the fervor you claim, then you couldn’t have missed her name among the recipients. Is there a bias at play here, some vested interest that makes Cowell’s financial backers less concerning to you than those of other candidates? Your silence is deafening.

Your decision to omit Cowell from your so-called exposé on developer influence isn’t just an oversight; it’s a choice. When an organization brands itself as a protector of Raleigh's residents, you should TRY to live up to that responsibility with transparency, consistency, and accountability. Selectively calling out candidates suggests that you're less interested in being watchdogs and more interested in wielding influence to shape the narrative that serves YOU best.

What happened to standing up against all candidates beholden to development dollars? Why has Cowell received a free pass despite her developer funding and checkered political past?

Let’s be clear: Raleigh’s residents have a right to know when developers are seeking to buy influence, and that transparency should apply to every candidate, not just a chosen few. If Livable Raleigh wants to retain credibility as an organization that truly advocates for the people, it would behoove you to give your readers/supporters an explanation for this glaring omission. We don’t need a “watchdog” that plays favorites; we need one that’s willing to bark, no matter who’s on the other end of the leash.

So, Livable Raleigh – are you really for the people? Or just for the people you choose to protect? Inquiring minds would like to know.

PS- It hurts our heart to know that you're really no different than the N &O, TVD or RAL. And if we missed your in depth analysis, please let us know.

[We Are The @FriendsOfShawU]

@RaleighLivable Wait. Hold on. Oh, we see it now. </end sarcasm here>