FRIDAY ROUND UP: North Carolinians Come Together to Hold Tillis Accountable on Unemployment, Racist

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 24, 2020

FRIDAY ROUND UP: North Carolinians Come Together to Hold Tillis Accountable on Unemployment, Racist Rhetoric on Latinos

New Piedmont Rising Report Highlights Risks to Mental Health Care if ACA is Repealed

Raleigh, N.C. - Over the last week, North Carolinians have come together to hold Senator Thom Tillis accountable for his offensive comments about North Carolina Latinos and for his lack of action to solve the state’s looming unemployment crisis. Piedmont Rising also released a new report on mental health services and access to care.

“Piedmont Rising, along with our partners, volunteers, and supporters, will continue to hold Senator Tillis accountable when he fails to stand up for the needs of North Carolinians,” said Piedmont Rising Executive Director Casey Wilkinson. “It’s time for Tillis to stop disrespecting his constituents, and start focusing on providing North Carolinians with the health care and economic resources they need in the midst of this crisis.”

Day of Action on Unemployment: On Thursday, Piedmont Rising volunteers  joined together for two Zoom Day of Action events to push Senator Tillis and Senator Burr to do the right thing on federal unemployment. Volunteers made calls to Tillis’ and Burr’s offices, signed digital postcards, and launched a social media awareness campaign. In the 48 hours prior to the Day of Action, Piedmont Rising volunteers contacted more than 6500 North Carolinians about the urgent need to extend $600 federal unemployment payments. If federal unemployment insurance disappears, average weekly payments in North Carolina will drop from $877 to just $277.

Tillis’ Racist Comments about NC Latinos: Last Friday, Piedmont Rising and PoderNC joined together to hold Senator Thom Tillis accountable for his disgusting comments blaming Latinos for the spread of coronavirus in North Carolina. This week, Piedmont Rising released a digital ad demanding that Tillis stop the blame games and start providing resources, like extended unemployment insurance, that North Carolinians need to survive this pandemic. Tillis has taken heat nationally, locally, and in Spanish-language press for his absurd remarks.

New Mental Health Report: Piedmont Rising released a new report highlighting how mental health services are particularly needed during the on-going pandemic and economic crisis, but how those services are put as risk by continued efforts to wipe out the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 1.5 million North Carolina adults are living with a mental illness, and more than 550,000 North Carolinians gained access to mental health care as a result of the ACA.

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