by Danielle Carr, ’18

For students, it seems so difficult to enact change beyond Cary Academy. Our lives are so tethered to what we do at school that it’s sometimes hard to become involved with outside politics; however, Lily Levin, along with a friend, Sarah Beck have started a club called Triangle People Power to do exactly that. The club isn’t school sponsored, its meetings take place outside of school hours, and it is completely dedicated to advocate for immigration and voting rights, specifically the Model Policy 7 and 9 of the ACLU Freedom Cities Action Guide (ensuring that there is no unconstitutional surveillance and racial profiling of minorities). TPP has spoken in front of City Council to ask the City of Raleigh to adapt these policies. Although the City Council and City Attorney jointly considered applying the model policies and ultimately decided they would either be redundant, or contradict standing laws, they praised TPP for their initiative and citizenship. The club has been encouraged to pursue its goal for equal voting rights, so much so that they launched their Voting Rights initiative this past October to expand voting rights to minorities and inmates. For their next project, the members of TPP have plans to partner with Enloe Civil Liberties Alliance and other Wake County School programs.

Lily Levin and the TPP’s admirable efforts have proven that not every initiative has to be backed by an institution, and change can be created by a small group of high schoolers with a vision for a better future. Triangle People Power presents us with the chance to make an impact in the issues that matter most. Voting rights (or lack thereof) have put North Carolina in the national spotlight, even taking our state to the Supreme Court over the issue of gerrymandering. As voting is a right that all of us will soon inherit, it is important that there are voices who represent us, and given the limitations on platforms available to high schoolers, organizations like the TPP are even more essential. The TPP is still a young club and has the potential to be a wide-reaching organization; however, in order to become one it needs more members. Students at Cary Academy have always been invested in social change, and would make committed, passionate advocates for the TPP. Consider joining Triangle People Power if you want to see voting and immigration rights improved in North Carolina.

If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Lily Levin OR check out the TPP’s Instagram and Facebook: @trianglepeoplepower

TPP at City Council meeting

TPP Meetings