A party in Durham, activism in Raleigh after new president is announced

Hundreds of people - supporters of both major presidential candidates - gathered in downtown Raleigh Saturday afternoon in the hours after it became apparent that Joe Biden would win the election.

Posted 11:19 p.m. Nov 6, 2020 — Updated 4:31 a.m. Nov 8, 2020

Joe Fisher

and

Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporters

RALEIGH, N.C. — A party broke out Saturday afternoon in downtown Durham after it became apparent that Joe Biden would win the election. Major media outlets called the race for Biden Saturday morning, projecting that his lead in Pennsylvania would put him over the needed 270 electoral votes.

Despite that declaration, votes are still being counted in major battleground states, including North Carolina.

Gatherings – both planned ahead of the announcement and spontaneous – marked the decision.

Throughout the afternoon, downtown Durham was party central.

"It's really great to see everybody excited and celebrating," said Durham resident Konyin Adewumi.

People danced, chanted and cheered in CCB Plaza for hours. The Bull City voted heavily in favor of the Biden/Harris ticket, and the crowd there grew as the afternoon wore on. Young and old of all races, most wearing masks and many wearing or waving flags, filled the plaza on foot, while cars circled, honking horns and with people waving signs.

Patrick Edwards said he was drawn to the energy of the celebration. "It's exciting to be able to finally have some hope again," he said. "Four years of Donald Trump, I think, has been kind of sad and just lonely, especially during the middle of a pandemic. I do think there is hope and some general optimism."

Ivan Almonte spoke on behalf of the Latino community, telling WRAL News, "Our community has mixed-status families, so immigration will always be the main issue in our community. We want to stay here. Also, we want to be able to go back to our countries to our loved ones, so immigration reform has been the No. 1 issue for our community."

Adewumi said she hoped the change in administration would lead to "actual conversations" about issues like immigration and reproductive rights.

In Raleigh, about 300 people, many carrying flags and signs to show their support for President Donald Trump, gathered outside the state legislative building within hours of the race being called.

Gina Walker Bailey, drove three hours from Burke County to carry her sign that read "Stop the Steal."

"Stop the steal is to stop the democratic corruption, because all of it is stealing our right to a free and fair vote," she said.

On Halifax Mall, a competing event organized by NC Team Democracy, drew hundreds more.

"We're asking ourselves, did it matter that I got on all those phones? Did it matter that I hit those doors? Did it matter that I talked to my family and my friends? So I'm here to tell y'all something. This election, we turned out more people that have ever voted in an election in 120 years, 120 years," an organizer told the crowd.

"We must hold that line and protect the results and protect our democracy."

Sekia Royall, said, "If they want to recount, let them recount, because numbers don't lie."

She plans to continue the fight for better wages and working conditions under a Joe Biden administration. Her goal, she said, "To make sure that the workers are included in the decisions they make from here on out."

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