Where NC stands on abortion access in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade
“My body, my choice.” “Women’s rights matter.” “Not your property.” These are just a few of the thousands of slogans that have been circulating the U.S. following the Supreme Court’s official overturning of Roe v. Wade, which has protected abortion in this country since 1973.
And it begs the question: Roe v. Wade (which will give states the right to pass laws banning abortion) is overturned—what happens next? So Raleigh Magazine chatted with two North Carolina legislators, NC Rep. Julie von Haefen (co-sponsor of House Bill 1119, which seeks to codify abortion protections in the state) and Sen. Natalie Murdock—both of whom are working to ensure that health care, especially abortion, is easily accessible for women.
Sen. Murdock emphasizes that abortion is a necessary form of health care for women, and losing that health care would “create a lot of confusion and harm.” However, she notes that the right to an abortion still remains legal in NC—placing its future in the hands of voters. (In a statement by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday, June 24, he stated that he “will continue to trust women to make their own medical decisions as we fight to keep politician’s out of the doctor’s exam room.”)
“This fall, we have to vote for pro-choice legislators,” stresses Sen. Murdock. “We choose our leaders, and we still have months and months to go, so no matter what your reason is to vote, add this to your list. We have to pound it—we won’t get a redo. This is a really critical election when it comes to bodily autonomy, and we have to get the word out that people have to get out and vote.”
There are currently 13 states that have put “trigger laws” in place, which automatically banned abortion once Roe v. Wade was overturned, and, as of right now, NC is not one of them—thus, abortion will still be legal in the state, and legislators will continue to fight for access to abortion. “I am proud to say our state Senate cares a lot about health and is passionate about birth control contraceptives,” says Sen. Murdock. “We are in a better position than a lot of states in the South, and because abortion would remain legal in NC post-Roe, we are prepared for a huge influx of people requesting abortion care.”
Outside of the legality of abortion in NC, however, it is already difficult to access abortion in the state considering only nine out of the 100 counties have an abortion provider—and there are only 14 abortion providers in the state as a whole. “Clinics know they are going to be overwhelmed with requests, and we are bracing ourselves for Roe v. Wade to be overturned, and understand that NC is one of the places in the Southeast where it would still be available,” adds Sen. Murdock. As such, NC nonprofits and abortion clinics are already raising money to support women traveling to the state for abortion access.
To get a better understanding of abortion policies elsewhere in the world, Rep. von Haefen recently traveled to Mexico with other state lawmakers to compare two different perspectives: one where abortion is legal and accessible—and even funded—versus one where access to abortion is only allowed in very limited circumstances.
Members of the legislation team came from various states where current abortion policies are very different, but came home with the common takeaway that “this is a battle without borders, but this issue goes further than the U.S.,” says Rep. von Haefen, adding: “We should look to Mexico to see what they are doing. They have done a great job of viewing abortion as health care and destigmatizing it.”
Rep. von Haefen adds that we should continue to say abortion is health care for women. And it’s important that we push legislation and the public to understand that abortion is a form of health care and a medical procedure. “We can make a lot of progress if we start to look at it that way,” she adds. But, most importantly, we all need to vote.
“I tell everyone that abortion and health care are on the ballot in November. If we don’t hold the line and hold the seats and if we slip back into the minority, they will be able to override vetoes from the governor—and we won’t have any power to stop them,” says Rep. von Haefen. “If this is an issue that is important to you, you need to vote this year and make sure that legislators are working to maintain access to abortion.”
Raleigh was chosen to host 26 European countries as a model for business best practices.
You know you’re one of the hottest locations in the country for business when the American Chambers of Commerce in Europe (AmCham EU) chooses you as the U.S. city to rep for its exclusive annual conference. It’s like being chosen for the Olympics—but better because the selection is based on a city with “strong ties to global industries, including health care, technology, education and more.”
Given Raleigh’s regular top 10 status across myriad lists running the gamut from tech to cost of living to the best place to start a business to best place to live, it’s not surprising the Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP, an org committed to marketing central North Carolina’s 12 counties), chose Raleigh. (The other of its two annual conferences is always in DC.)
In mid-May countries (think Belgium, Bosnia, Finland, Greece, Sweden—to name a few) from 26 European Union countries descended on the City of Oaks for two days of meetings, during which time they connected with local leaders like Jim Goodnight, CEO and founder of SAS, and Drew Shoemaker, managing director at Credit Suisse, in addition to meeting with several organizations, including NC State and the North Carolina Biotech Center, in order to better comprehend how business, academia and government work together to create the regional ecosystem.
“Everywhere we went and everyone we met, we instantly saw a spirit of ambition, collaboration and innovation,” says Mark Redmond, chief executive of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. “There was a sense of purpose and self-belief in the Triangle that working together will lead to solving problems and realizing opportunities for business and consumers.”
Echos Ajša Vodnik, chief executive of the American Chamber of Commerce Slovenia: “The delegation to the Triangle was more than expected. We all agreed that we have never experienced such exceptional hospitality and willingness to cooperate as we did in North Carolina.”
So not only has Raleigh proven to be a hot spot for business and economy, but a place of good ’ole Southern hospitality too. Not a bad time to be a Raleighite, indeed.
Calling all adrenaline junkies! Addicted to the rush? Hit up one of these five confidence testers in the Triangle to get your fix.
Rush Hour Karting
Experience the rush at Rush Hour Karting’s new two-story indoor karting track slated to open in Morrisville in November—the first of its kind in NC (!)—with high-speed electric karts capable of reaching a whopping 40 mph… so you can put the pedal to the medal without worrying about getting a speeding ticket. The new location (Rush Hour’s first is in Garner) will add to the mix golfing simulators, axe throwing lanes and virtual reality areas—plus an upscale restaurant and bar for cooling down post-thrill. Vroom, baby, vroom. rushhourkarting.com
Urban Air Adventure Park
Wanna get high? Your fight or flight instinct is gonna wanna go flight this fall at Urban Air Adventure Park’s upcoming new indoor skydiving center in Morrisville, where you’ll be able to experience the thrill of free falling in the air at up to 150 mph. To keep that adrenaline spiked, there’s also the famous sky rider, ropes course, rock climbing walls, bumper cars, VR and trampolines. (For a glow up, it’s also the first Urban Air to offer a mani/pedi Glamour Salon—NTM Amante Pizza Café to fuel the hustle.) Jump to it! urbanair.com
Triangle Rock Club
Feeling knotty? Let’s chalk about Triangle Rock Club, feat. 13,000-plus square feet of state-of-the-art Eldorado Climbing Walls, 7,000 square feet of world-class bouldering terrain—NTM fitness and yoga classes. It promises to rock your world. trianglerockclub.com
The Crazy Axe
If you’re feelin’ stressy and/or just need to get a handle on things—a lil axercise oughta do. Head to this urban axe throwing club for an hour of anger management in the best way. Plenty of axeperiences are available—from company outings to leagues to parties. (And P.S. they sell alcohol!) Ready, set, throw! thecrazyaxe.com
Xtreme Park Adventures
These guys know extreme. Get in on the action via paintball, airsoft, lasertag, zip lining and ropes courses—and there’s even some action for lil adrenaline junkies as well (aka—they play and you post up at the wine & beer bar…). Après adventure, extend the vibe with arcade games, or grab a snack and chill in the picnic area to come down from the rush.xtremeparkadventures.com
NC State launches groundbreaking first program in U.S. to bolster student housing security.
It’s hard enough to get into college, let alone figure out how to pay for tuition, books, supplies, food, transportation… and then there’s housing. What’s a student to do if on-campus options are too expensive or inaccessible? It’s a startling statistic, but homelessness affects 15% of NC State students—a rate which rose from 10% just five years ago and is consistent across the U.S. And, given safety, instability and insecurity concerns, not having a place to live can obviously deter many from going to college at all.
That’s where Housing Options for Students Today (HOST) comes in—a new university program that allows students to live with a “host” family so they can focus on their studies while seeking stable housing. The first program of its kind in the U.S., HOST matches students with local community members who are willing to provide a short-term home to students while they work with HOST’s staff to ensure they have a plan for long-term, safe and affordable housing.
In partnership with the BWEL Foundation, a Raleigh-based nonprofit dedicated to helping house single-parent families in postsecondary education, HOST is actively recruiting hosts and is almost at their goal, just in time to start housing students in August for the NC State 2022–23 school year. (If you’re interested in becoming a host yourself, there’s a meeting June 14 at 1801 Hillsborough St.) Better still, the program is already expanding and developing a partnership to serve students at Shaw University, which should be available to students soon.
“It’ll be somewhat like an Airbnb,” says Mary Haskett, chair of the HOST advisory board. “We’ll have a menu of options for students who need a spot.” Time spent in a home can vary from a few nights to a few months, giving students the time they need to come up with a game plan for long-term housing.
“Sometimes students are moving from a different area, and it is transitory housing insecurity they are experiencing,” adds Folasewa Olatunde, a member of the advisory board of HOST and a graduate student at NC State. “They’ll need a few nights or even a few weeks to save and afford housing.”
The program also boasts a diverse collection of hosts and employees, so students are adequately matched with hosts that will be the best fit for them culturally, physically and emotionally. Additionally, hosts must undergo screenings, background checks and training to ensure the space is safe, affirmative and stable for students.
Former Guilford College student Etienne Phillips was relying on student housing in the spring of 2020, but lost his permanent residence while attending school. Upon transferring to NC State over the summer, he struggled to find housing, especially after the pandemic pushed schools to close campus accommodations.
“I became some version of homeless until attending NC State,” says Phillips. “Over this time, I stayed with a sibling, friends, on couches and floors, and in guest beds. … The HOST program is really incredible. There aren’t a lot of resources for housing for students, and if something like HOST existed while I was struggling, I would not have been forced to take a year off from school.”
Phillips highlights the fact that suffering with housing insecurity can also create difficulties finding a job, permanent housing, etc. “It was very hard to advance myself educationally or get a job. I didn’t have a job, marketable skills of any kind, and it was the start of the pandemic, so many jobs were not available,” laments Phillips.
His situation gives perspective to the kind of life-altering aid HOST can provide. “I am going through things one step at a time, but I am confident I will figure it out,” he says. “Knowing I had that support would have been huge. I would have had help to get a job and a car and whatever else I needed, and the HOST program is helping students do that now.” bwelnc.org
What’s up, dog? Raleigh’s first Korean corn dog food truck is open for biz and you’re gonna wanna see what all the hype is about. Not your typical freezer section corn dog, this classic Korean street food is made with your choice of a hot dog, cheese, or half-and-half; then battered in an original coating (potato or sweet potato); and fried to a perfectly crispy golden brown. Top it off with allll the sauces—because you can never have too many—and get your camera ready for the most ’Grammable cheese pull.
This Black-, woman- and family-owned #FunnelFam is putting the fun in funnel cakes by serving up the fried delicacy in ways you’ve never before seen (or tasted!). Take the Royal Chicken-n-Cakes, for example—essentially a chicken and waffle riff, only with a funnel cake in place of the waffle, and topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup (!). The menu also feats a classic fluffy funnel cake with powdered sugar—but no matter what you choose, you’re in for the royal treat-ment.
A penny for your thoughts? Johnston County’s first and only Southern fusion food truck is rollin’ through the Triangle to “spread tasty eats and positivity one penny and mile at a time!” Each guest is asked “tell me something good” at the window to earn a “Positive Penny”—and is then implored to pay it forward. Positivity (and satisfaction!) also comes in the form of comforting eats like grilled mac and cheese, and bacon jalapeno wontons. Talk about an ella good experience!
The “food and culture of the motherland” is right at your fingertips thanks to this African food truck. Translating to “patience and perseverance,” Yagg Sii Tenn offers one-of-a-kind authentic African cuisine from the likes of Senegal, Ghana and Kenya, perf for broadening your culinary horizons—think jollof rice, fish fataya, Yassa jerk chicken, and falafel. So, like a getaway for your taste buds. Yassa, please!
*Looking for a specific truck? Check out the street food finder to find your fave food truck.
