Shelby Women for Progress

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 …

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 …

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 …

Our first official check-in with CC Board of Commissioners was attended by all officials including our County Attorney and NC Speaker of the House, Tim Moore. This meeting would prove to be short sweet and to the point and after a lengthy prayer (always), they moved to the newly elected and appointed officials taking their …

The mission of Shelby Women for Progress is to build a progressively intentioned network of women and allies. Through non-partisanship and an emphasis on inclusion, SW4P strives to make Cleveland County a community that is representative of all residents by sowing the seeds of progress. This progress is home grown right here in Cleveland County …