Built By Us

Built By Us Media spotlights movement makers and shakers across North Carolina. Hosts Kai and Joselle sit down with organizers, activists, and working-class people who are fighting for justice, building power, and making sure our voices aren't just heard, but centered. Every episode connects you with someone who's putting in work for liberation, and gives you the tools to join them. Because the North Carolina we deserve is being built by us. Learn more at democracync.org!

Built By Us is a news podcast hosted by Democracy North Carolina, with 139 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Democracy North Carolina hosts Built By Us, a news show with 139 episodes published.

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  Built By Us

  The Latine Vote in NC: Growth, Barriers, and What's Still in the Way

  Sep 17, 202623 min

  North Carolina's Latine population has nearly tripled since 2000, and this spring saw that growth finally translate into votes: about 15,000 more Hispanic voters turned out in the primary than in 2022. But turnout still lags behind the state average, and the reasons why are more about access than motivation. In this episode of Built By Us, host Kai McNeil sits down with Democracy NC board member Adrian Maldonado Jr. to unpack what's driving this growth, from first-time voters bringing along parents and grandparents to year-round organizing efforts across the state. They dig into the real barriers standing in the way: misinformation spreading through text and social media, limited language access at the polls, and closures of polling places in densely Latine areas. They also talk through the economic weight of the community (an estimated $36.9 billion contributed to North Carolina's economy in 2018 alone) and why local elections, not just presidential ones, carry so much weight for issues like healthcare, education, and small business policy. Support the show Follow us on all your favorite platforms! Instagram: @democracync TikTok: @democracync Threads: @democracync Bluesky: @democracync Facebook: @DemocracyNorthCarolina Youtube: @DemocracyNorthCarolina

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  Built By Us

  Every Child Deserves a Chance: The Fight for Equitable Schools in NC (ft. Susanna Benitez & Sarah Montgomery)

  Jun 3, 202623 minS0

  <p>This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. Listen to Part 1 featuring Bryan Proffitt of the NCAE first.</p><p>If a child's opportunity depends on their zip code, race, or family income, are we really giving every child the same chance? In Part 2, Kai sits down with Susanna Benitez of the Education Justice Alliance, leading the Every Child North Carolina Coalition, and Sarah Montgomery of the NC Justice Center, to discuss who bears the sharpest costs of North Carolina's disinvestment in public schools and what communities are doing to fight back.</p><p>They dig into the April dismissal...

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  Built By Us

  Public Education, Power & the Fight for North Carolina's Schools with NCAE - Part 1

  Jun 2, 20261 hourS0

  <p>Recorded prior to May 12, 2026, before North Carolina lawmakers agreed to a budget framework that includes raises for teachers, law enforcement, and other state employees.</p><p>What if the condition of your child's classroom wasn't an accident? Kai sits down with Bryan Proffitt, Vice President of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), to trace how North Carolina went from ranking 25th in teacher pay to 43rd, and why that didn't happen by chance.</p><p>From the NCAE's origins as a merger rooted in racial justice, to the Reagan-era "failing schools" narrative, to the 2011 legislative decisions that gutted...

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  Built By Us

  Built by Us, Funded by Who? Breaking Down NC's Budget Stalemate

  Mar 31, 202634 minS0

  <p>North Carolina is the only state in the country without a comprehensive budget approved for this year, and the people are paying the price. In this episode, host Kai McNeil sits down with Sally Hodges-Copple and Moriah Collins from the NC Budget and Tax Center to break down how a $29.7 billion budget gets made, why it's stalled, and what an upside-down tax code actually means for working families. From teacher raises to Medicaid funding to child care center closures, the budget isn't abstract. It's your classroom, your clinic, and your community. Learn what a well-being budget could look like...

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  Episode #6

  2026 NC Primaries Breakdown — Rejected Ballots, Gerrymandering & Canvassing Comes Next

  Mar 11, 202651 minS6

  <p>The March primary is over, but the election process isn't. </p><p>Right now, 100 county boards across North Carolina are in the canvass period, and most people have never heard of it. In this episode of Built by Us, host Kai McNeil sits down with Democracy NC's Senior Policy Analyst Brian Kennedy and Professor Michael Bitzer, Director of the NC Center for Politics, to break down what canvassing actually is, what the data shows about racial disparities in ballot rejections, and how racial gerrymandering already shaped the 2026 primary landscape before most people showed up to vote.</p><p>Two v...

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