One of the most popular Democrats in the country visited North Carolina this past weekend.
No, it was not President Joe Biden. It was Justin Jamal Pearson, a young, Black Tennessee legislator thrust into the spotlight weeks after being expelled by Republican leaders in the state.
The line was long to get a handshake, a hug, or even a selfie with Pearson, who did not seem to tire from all the attention.
鈥淚鈥檓 so humbled and honored to meet y'all. Thank you so much,鈥� Pearson told Dianne and Wesley Stokes. 鈥淵'all want to take a picture? Let鈥檚 do it!鈥�
Pearson was the main attraction at this year鈥檚 North Carolina Black Summit at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley. It is an annual gathering of Black elected officials across the state.
Pearson was all smiles and polite as he greeted each person. Several times, the 28-year-old pulled out his long pick to fluff out his afro before the snap of the camera. Almost every person who greeted Pearson said the same thing: 鈥淲e are so proud of you.鈥�
鈥淵es, proud of him. Drove two-and-a-half hours just to take this one-minute picture,鈥� said Dianne Stokes of Roper, North Carolina. 鈥淵es, we need more like (Pearson)."
Pearson is one of the 鈥淭ennessee Three.鈥� He and fellow Representatives Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson were admonished for leading a demonstration calling for new gun laws from the Tennessee House floor just days after a deadly mass shooting in Nashville. Pearson and Jones, who are Black men, were expelled. It was a move seen as racist and flagrant. And the world was watching.
Kia Anthony is a first term mayor of the town of Spring Lake. She held Pearson鈥檚 hands when it was her time to take a picture.
鈥淵our reputation proceeds you,鈥� Anthony told him. 鈥淚 want to pour into you to continue to fight. We are praying for you.鈥�
Anthony admits her tenure has been hard as mayor. Last year, her choice for Town Manager was publicly challenged by Republican State Treasurer Dale Folwell. Anthony says she admires the fight of Pearson and Jones when times got tough.
鈥淭hey thought they were censoring them. They thought they were getting rid of these guys,鈥� Anthony said. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 expel them, they propelled them.鈥�
During a news conference, Pearson said he knows this is the time to be loud and proud.
鈥淲e have to be those people in this moment so that generations and generations from now, people will look back and say, 'Thank God they fought, thank God they protested, thank God they spoke up, thank God they didn鈥檛 go along to get along, thank God they didn鈥檛 get paid off, thank God they didn鈥檛 quit,'鈥� Pearson said.
Pearson says he is travelling the country to capture this moment.
鈥淭ogether, we have a lot of power," Pearson said. "Together, we can do a lot that advances and moves forward the issues of Black America, of Black North Carolinians, Black Tennesseans in a way that can鈥檛 otherwise be done."
North Carolina Congresswoman Valerie Foushee says it is exciting to see this young Civil Rights leader in action.
鈥淗e鈥檚 too young to be afraid. It鈥檚 just like a kid will jump in a pool of water not knowing how to swim, but will trust when they get in the water they鈥檒l be able to do something,鈥� Foushee said. 鈥淲hat he has shown is once you remove that fear, then you鈥檙e free to do what you need to do and say what you need to say to whom you need to say it.鈥�
Marcus Bass agrees. He is the Deputy Director of the North Carolina Black Alliance, who sponsored the conference.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get that intergenerational mix of 300 plus elected officials anywhere else,鈥� Bass said.
Bass added that he appreciated Pearson recognizing the college students in the room, as they stood next to some of the senior ranking members in the General Assembly.
Greear Webb is graduating soon from UNC-Chapel Hill and he is the co-founder of Young Americans Protest. While he was taking his picture, Webb said Pearson gave him some advice.
鈥淚t was very powerful, only about 30 seconds,鈥� Webb said. 鈥淗e said keep up the good work, and stay focused on achieving positive change, systemic change.鈥�
It is the kind of change Democrats say will hopefully show great returns in coming elections.
