Melissa Norton
Melissa Norton is a Durham North Carolina activist. She is a South-Florida native who relocated to North Carolina in 2006. She is an urban planner and policy analyst who has worked primarily in the fields of affordable housing and economic development. She believes Durham is a magical place and is passionate about lending her efforts to help make it a more just, equal and sustainable one. She lives with her partner Josh.[1]
Education
- Studied at Heart of Yoga School
- Studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Went to Palm Beach County School of the Arts
People's Platform
Over the summer (2020), we invited Other Swing Voters, D4A members and the broader Durham community to 5 virtual meetings where we worked together to develop 5 'planks' of our People's Platform: Economy, Justice, Education, Homes and Healthcare For All.
Thanks to our Economy For All panelists Bertha Bradley (Fight for $15), Chanelle Croxton (NDWA) & Brigid Flaherty (Down Home NC); our Justice For All panelists Nikki Marin Baena (Siembra NC), D'atra Jackson (BYP 100) & Jose Romero (Durham Beyond Policing); our Education For All panelists James E. Ford (CREED), Henry Cruz Reyes (DPS graduate) & Millicent Rogers (Rebound); our Homes For All panelists Gary Chavis (Legal Aid NC), Alison Johnson (Housing Justice League) & Melissa Norton (Bull City 150); and our Healthcare For All panelists James Moore (Durham Democratic Socialists of America), Perri Morgan (White Coats Brigade) & Hyun Namkoong (NC Justice Center).[2]
FRSO
Melissa Norton is a Freedom Road Socialist Organization supporter.
Carolina Federation
Melissa Norton had become Operations Manager of the Carolina Federation by November 2020.
Durham for All
Durham for All board September 2020:
- Carolina Alzuru, Co-Chair
- Melissa Norton, Co-Chair
- David Roswell, Treasurer
- Khalilah Karim
- Dove Kent
- Symone Kiddoo
- Justine Oller[3]
Durham for All Public Facebook group members
Durham for All Public Facebook group members April 30 2020 included Melissa Norton.
Durham for All people
Durham For All June 21, 2017 · We had a busy weekend with our 2nd Monthly Mass Meeting, a Campaign Team mid-year retreat, and a base-building Community Dinner!
Durham folks, JOIN OUR 10K STRONG SQUAD: durhamforall.org/pledge
Let's win political power and build a Durham for All!
- 10KSTRONG
Sendolo Diaminah, Kaji Reyes, Laila Nur, Jillian Johnson, Bennett D. Carpenter, Melissa Norton, Tim Stallman, Salma Mirza, Elena Everett, Aiden Riley Graham, Tony Marimbondo Macias, Anna Duncan, Anna Grant, Ade Oh, Zaina Alsous, Jadebroo KS, Sijal Nasralla, Anthony Maglione, Ashlyn Nuckols.
Durham for All
Durham for All November 3, 2016.
Photo credit: Sufia Ikbal Doucet Studios — with Kaji Reyes, Ade Oh, Anthony Maglione, Michael Whyte, DeDreana Freeman, Mina Ezikpe, Melissa Norton, Anna Grant, Jillian Johnson, Jazmynne Williams, Courtney Sebring, Liz Ott, Eric Winston, Danielle Purifoy, Sendolo Diaminah and Nate Johnson.
Durham People's Alliance 2016 board
The Durham People’s Alliance Board, 2016.
Vernetta Alston, Eric Boven, John Davis, Kendra Montgomery-Blinn, DeDreana Freeman, Dabney Hopkins, Marion Johnson, Melissa Norton, Destini Riley, Carl Rist, Lanya Shapiro, Ryan Smith, Sondra Stein, Sara Terry, Magan Thigpen, Tommie Watson
Durham People’s Alliance
Durham People’s Alliance board as of 2015;[4]
- Sara Terry, Co-President
- Shamieka Rhinehart, Vice-President
- Ryan Smith
- Eric Boven
- DeDreana Freeman
- Marion Johnson
- Melissa Norton
- Kendra Montgomery-Blinn
- Carl Rist
- Lanya Shapiro
- Sondra Gayle Stein
- Magan Gonzales Thigpen
- Tommie Watson
Supporting the Kurds
December 28, 2015, Sendolo Diaminah posted on his FaceBook page supporting the Kurds;
- The Kurdish people have been engaged in an inspiring struggle to carve out freedom and autonomy for themselves, both from the corrupt states of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria AND from ISIS. Now the Turkish government is ramping up its repression of the Kurdish freedom movement. The first step in solidarity must be educating ourselves about this powerful struggle for freedom and rallying to its defense. Anthony Maglione, Manzoor Cheema, Hiram Rivera Marcano, Bryan Proffitt, Aaron Bryant, Thomas Wayne Walker, Jadebroo KS, Hashim Benford, Melissa Norton, Sijal Nasralla, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Gary Broderick, Aiden Riley Graham, Rufus Firefly, Zaina Alsous, Laila Nur, Sabeen Shaiq, Theo Luebke, Caitlin Breedlove...
"Supporting "progressive county commissioners"
Sendolo Diaminah wrote on his Facebook page February 24 2016;
- Kaji is so hyped to phone bank for progressive county commissioners that he came a week early--even tho there was a tornado warning! Y'all better get on his level!!… Durham we have a chance to elect commissioners who can use local office to defend our communities from all the attacks coming from the republican New Confederacy. Let's use our power! You know what I mean Nia, Zaina, Alec, Santos, Seamus, Ann, Ajamu, D'atra, Cheema, Mandy, Ade, Aiden, Lorisa, Bro Ray, Melissa...
Duke-Durham occupation
Sendolo Diaminah backed the Duke-Durham occupation April 8 at 6:40pm, 2016. ·
- Come celebrate the struggle as it moves from occupation to the next stage! Bryan Proffitt, Kaji Reyes, Laila Nur, Rufus Firefly, Anca Stefan, Alec Greenwald, Manzoor Cheema, Monica Huerta, James Hill, Elena Everett, Chanelle Croxton, D’atra Jackson, Ajamu Dillahunt, Jr., Jadebroo KS, Nia Wilson, Anthony Maglione, Sijal Nasralla, Gary B Durham, Alec Greenwald, Aiden Graham, Melissa Norton, Bro Ray, Saba Taj, Ade Oh.
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing
Revolutionary Strategies to Beat the Rising Right Wing, was a nationwide conference call organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Sunday October 30, 2016.
- What's the nature of this right-wing threat? What has this election cycle changed about the political terrain we're fighting on? How do we need to prepare for whats coming after the election? Hear about these crucial questions from our panel of top political strategists, including Nelini Stamp, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Linda Burnham, and Sendolo Diaminah.
Those indicating interest in attending, on Facebook included Melissa Norton.[5]