Shelby Women for Progress

In our Mission Statement, it says that our goal is “supporting progressive women throughout the county, and beyond, by building an inclusive network of member lead advocacy,” and you might be wondering just what that is. For us, it means that our members drive our initiatives. What is a member-lead approach to organizing? It’s all …

In which we ask the question, “Is this actually about public health and safety, or could you just not get this by the zoning board?” Hey, y’all. It’s been a minute since I typed up a meeting recap, so I will preface this by saying that a) I’ll try to do better and b) I’ll …

This column is syndicated by Beacon Media and can be republished or posted anywhere for free under Beacon Media’s guidelines. When I got home the night of the big protest I helped organize in Shelby at the end of last month, I was still texting and chatting with various people who had participated. I fell deeply in love …

Location:Meet at Lily Bean Coffee108 E. Warren St, Date:February 23, 20251 PM – 4 PM Shelby Women for Progress thrives on a member-led approach to organization. One of our goals is to help support SW4P member efforts in our community, and we are so thrilled that this local protest is being organized by young change-makers …

Friday, February 14, 2025 at 6pm Location:Wine Collective5 N. Lafayette St. Date:February 14, 20256pm We are looking forward to meeting up in person for an informal Valentines Day SW4P gathering! Grab your art supplies, cardboard, crafty ideas, and sassy sign slogans and meet us on Friday, February 14, 2025 at 6pm at the Wine Collective …

One of the areas Shelby Women for Progress has been most involved is with the local School Board. In 2022 we actively advocated for progressive school board candidates to be elected and re-elected, in an effort to keep a school board that is more reflective of our community. Our school board is partisan (Effective June …

When members of Shelby Women for Progress drove to Raleigh, NC for the Reproductive Freedom Advocacy Day on February 21, 2023, the goal was to meet with State Senator Ted Alexander to let him know that maintaining reproductive freedom in North Carolina matters to his constituents in Cleveland County. We were met with a lot …

Organizing a community means creating and maintaining a system where people can work together to meet common goals that benefit the community. It’s essential to have a clear purpose and plan when organizing a community and the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Organizing a community can take on many forms, depending on the needs …

This statement was made during the first meeting with all of the members of the newly elected school board, after November’s election. You can read a recap of the entire December 12, 2022 School Board Meeting here. At the end of the meeting, Board Members were invited to give statements. Ronnie Grigg’s was the longest …

The Cleveland County School Board Meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 pm. Meetings are held in the Board Room of the Cleveland County Schools Central Services building, located at 400 W. Marion Street in Shelby, NC. These meetings are open to the public and they are broadcast live, so if you …

The final Commissioner’s meeting of 2022 was off to a great start with a member of SW4P being asked to lead the pledge of allegiance. A fantastic reminder of the importance of physically attending local meetings even when streaming options are available. Being informed is the first step personal activism, and being physically present is …