Black Excellence in Full Bloom: 2025 North Carolina Black Alliance Summit
- CUBNSC
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Black Leaders Torched white supremacy and called to order a new Black liberation movement
By Javar Juarez | CUBN’s New Progressive Journal
Raleigh, N.C.
This past weekend, the 19th Annual North Carolina Black Summit stood tall as a testament to Black Excellence, and the Columbia Urban Broadcast Network’s New Progressive Journal was honored to be in the building to witness and uplift it. Held during Resurrection Weekend, the summit felt divinely timed—rising in power, conviction, and clarity. It wasn’t just an event. It was a movement in motion.
The North Carolina Black Alliance (NCBA), a 501(c)(3) organization, has long been a driving force for systemic policy change, economic equity, and leadership development for Black communities. But this year’s summit felt different. It was fierce. It was prophetic. And it was urgent.
2025 Black Summit Where Policy Meets Prophecy
Kicking off the 2025 Black Summit with spiritual fire, Pastor James D. Gailliard of Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount delivered an electrifying keynote titled “From Crisis to Conquest.” He didn’t shy from the truth. We are living in a moment where "democracy is being held hostage by voter suppression," where billion-dollar healthcare systems are expanding into luxury zones while rural Black communities suffer, and where the courts once seen as sacred now feel weaponized.
But Gailliard flipped the script—this isn’t just a crisis. It’s a call. A moment of divine activation. He reminded the audience that Black people are a people "twice kissed by the sun" and seasoned for struggle, bred from the wilderness and ready to conquer Pharaoh once again. “This is the day,” he declared, borrowing from Joel and Pentecost. “This is that moment.” And we must "pray with our legs."
Black Excellence: On Stage and in Legacy
From the esteemed Congresswoman, the Honorable Valerie P. Foushee, to South Carolina-born trailblazer the Honorable Kandie Diane Smith—representative of North Carolina House District 5 and Chair of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus—the Summit showcased a powerful lineup of Black political excellence. Notable figures like Guilford County Commissioner J. Carlvena Foster and Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Harrison further amplified the spirit of leadership in the room. A special recognition was presented by Viola Harris to the Honorable G. Michael Cogdell, honoring a lifetime of service that paved the way for so many others.
A moving tribute was paid to the living legend, Congresswoman Eva Clayton, during the Senator Jeanne H. Lucas Luncheon, led by the Honorable Congresswoman Valerie P. Foushee. Clayton’s trailblazing journey—from becoming the first Black woman elected to represent North Carolina in Congress since Reconstruction to directing over $550 million in investments into Warren County—was illuminated as a beacon for future generations. Her legacy now lives on through the newly launched Eva Clayton Fellowship, an intergenerational initiative by the NCBA and Advance North Carolina, designed to cultivate the next wave of Black leaders in policy, organizing, and governance.
John King: South Carolina’s Son with a National Message
South Carolina Representative John Richard C. King delivered a deeply personal and righteously defiant address. King, whose father was the first Black mayor of Chester, SC—denied office for three years due to racist obstruction—spoke of legacy, resistance, and righteous rage. "We’ve never been given justice in this country. We’ve had to wrench it into existence."
He laid bare the interconnected strands of oppression: from the gutting of DEI to the abandonment of rural healthcare and the erasure of Black history. But his voice, seasoned with history and steel, rang clear: “We are the storm. And the storm is coming.”
LaTosha Brown: A Call to Reimagine Everything
Saturday’s banquet headliner, LaTosha Brown, delivered a soul-stirring message wrapped in music, history, and a radical reimagining of our power. The co-founder of Black Voters Matter called out the false gods of party loyalty and warned against outsourcing our liberation to systems never built for us.
In a room full of Black elected officials and powerhouses, Brown pulled no punches: “Black people, rise up.” Her call to action: reclaim joy, rethink economics, invest in one another, and prepare for the inevitable battles ahead—with courage, creativity, and discipline. “We need to stop playing the fence and start writing the playbook.”
Brown’s vision is sweeping: A future where we don’t just vote—we own, build, educate, and nourish. Where we fund Black farmers, support Black women, and forge coalitions that outlast election cycles.
Beyond the Stage: A Feast of Fellowship
The Summit wasn't all speeches. It was a celebration of Black culture, soul food, and strategy. Between plated breakfasts, jam-packed panels, and networking over Carolina-style short ribs and crab cakes, every moment was an offering of excellence. The CUBN team, along with our partners at New Progressive South and Chief Political Director Brandon Upson, were proud to be on the ground, lifting up the voices of our people.
The Black Summit: A Prophetic Blueprint
This weekend wasn’t just about talking—it was about charting. About moving from trauma to transformation. From survival to self-determination. The Summit showed what’s possible when Black policy, power, and purpose align.
The 2025 NCBA Summit dared to believe that the future of the South—and the country—belongs to those who organize, rise, and reimagine. As LaTosha Brown reminded us, “This isn’t just a setback—it’s a setup.” A setup for revolution, revival, and resurrection.
And as the sun set on Raleigh, we were reminded: Black Excellence is not a trend. It’s a tradition. And it’s ours.
Brandon’s dedication and wisdom is simply astounding. The entire event is Awesome and inspiring!!!!
I support Brandon!
We need to hep Justice Allison Riggs! They’re trying to steal the election after she’s already won it.
I remember Brandon Upson Canvassing every county in South Carolina making sure our black community had the opportunity to vote and allowing our voices to be heard I’ll always stand by Brandon . Keep us pushing forward New Progressive South thanks
This is awesome! If Brandon Upson on the scene , it will be goodness for the people and our future!! He’s a young seasoned “old” soul! He’s beyond blessed and a blessing for those who is in his circle our around the places he’s been and going!! New Progressive South ! I’m here for it!! 🙌🏾