The Voice Exclusive: Gov. Cooper Talks HBCUs, Clean Energy, and Voting With Voice Editors
posted by Kayla Mady, Westley Reaves Jr. | March 12, 2024 | In NewsOn March 6, The Voice had the great opportunity to interview Governor Roy Cooper.
We didn’t want to waste any time, so we jumped straight into our questions, which he answered without hesitation.
Governor Cooper expressed his thoughts about the importance of voting.
He emphasized, “Young people hold the results of the next election in their hands.”
He acknowledged the diverse opinions and the common thinking that the whole election was a Biden versus Trump election. However, he pointed out, this is precisely why we NEED to vote. He mentioned that our democracy, the fight against discrimination, abortion rights, and climate change are some of the issues we must acknowledge on our ballots between the two presidential candidates.
Our conversation with Governor Cooper delved into the pressing issue of HBCUs and higher education funding, spurred by the proposal in Mississippi to shut down three HBCUs, and the potential threat to their HBCUs. As students of an HBCU, we shared our apprehensions, prompting a response from the Governor. We asked him what he could do or had done to ensure proper funding for North Carolina’s higher education institutions and HBCUs. He told us he promotes our diversified state colleges and the array of young leaders available and competent to current workforce CEOs.
He said, “If you are looking for a dedicated, well-trained, educated, diverse workforce … look no further than North Carolina.”
He knew North Carolina’s HBCU statistics and spoke about being well aware of our budgeting needs. The Governor shared that he has presented budgets to the General Assembly that have significantly boosted public education investments.
The fact that some HBCUs are struggling also caused him to express, “This should be an alarm bell for all of us.”
He reminded us that this is another reason why voting matters: so we can vote for candidates that will go on to support public education, higher education, and HBCUs.
We also asked about something we had previously reported: Gov. Cooper’s Clean Energy Initiative. The ‘Clean Energy’ initiative is essentially North Carolina’s plan to help us combat pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Governor Cooper said: “Well, the future of our planet is at stake.”
He has pushed such advances toward climate change with this initiative because he worries about the kind of world we will leave for future generations.
He spent two years working on the initiative and issued Executive Order #80. It said NC needed to have a goal to get to carbon zero by 2050 and reduce carbon emissions by 2023. After diligent work with several organizations, he turned that blueprint into law.
Not only has this initiative made progress on increased renewable energy, but it is also predicted to create a plethora of new jobs supported and funded by various private markets.
“Why can’t North Carolina be on the forefront of that?” he asked.
He mentioned the various companies coming to different cities in North Carolina as a result.
We wanted to know why next-generation youth is essential and what we can do for our home. The Governor wasted no time letting us know that he sees us. He showed his excitement about his hope and faith in the rising youth. He mentioned the opportunities he and his various commission boards have worked on to give us a look into state jobs or kickstart our knowledge of professional workforces.
Governor Cooper says throughout these programs and internships, “We have gotten to see the high caliber of people that they are.”
We asked him what piece of advice he would leave the youth with, and he replied: “Number one, regardless of what you do, register to vote and vote in every election… the second thing is to try and learn about all of the issues that are facing our state, our country, and local communities.”
Lastly, recognizing this is his last term as governor, we asked him what legacy he wanted to leave behind and what his proudest moment was. He said he sees himself as someone in politics who wants to do something and make a change.
“I love making a difference,” he said as he recalled a specific life-changing memory.
He remembered being in an enrollment center speaking with working citizens of North Carolina who couldn’t afford health insurance. He told us a story of a woman who had cancer and was facing a crushing medical debut.
“On December the 1st, I got to present Penny with her Medicaid card,” he recounted.
While recalling his proudest moment, he also spoke on America’s privilege and how he believes we shouldn’t be leaving people without access to health insurance.
“We really need to find a way to make that happen,” he stated.
We heard a lot about the changes he has made and is working to make during his last ten months in office. We also learned a lot about his passion for public service.
As for his legacy, he only left us with the statement, “I’m not done yet.”
Additional reporting for this story was done by Views Editor Suryah Ethridge, and video editing by Views Editor Trey Nemec.
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