
What does it mean for a candidate to be endorsed?
When an organization has endorsed a candidate, it means that they share that candidate’s beliefs on selected issues and that the candidate supports the values and mission of the organization. The endorsement process generally consists of completing fairly lengthy questionnaires, and then being invited to an interview. The organization members then decide if that candidate will get their endorsement. When a candidate does not get the endorsement, it doesn’t necessarily mean they were not a good fit; it may simply mean they could not be available for the interview.
Endorsements do, however, help voters to know just a bit more about a candidate. Voters feel a sense of confidence when they see endorsements from organizations or high-profile individuals whom they respect and who support issues and values that matter to them personally.

Dr. Joanne Chesley has been endorsed by Lillian’s List which sees her as [ “a champion of reproductive freedom and gender equity, courageously running in a highly gerrymandered district.”] The website for this organization says, “As we see a rash of anti-women legislation and rhetoric across our country, Lillian’s List stands strong in its vision to see a North Carolina where reproductive rights are guaranteed and not subject to political negotiation, and our state is a great place to be a woman.” Dr. Chesley says that every person has the right to make decisions about childbirth without governmental interference. She further believes that efforts to limit access to abortion, IVF, and contraceptives will take an even greater toll on selected communities. When personal and financial resources are already limited, it is more difficult to fight unfair statutes such as those seen in the ‘Bans on our Bodies’ which often means missing work and traveling long distances to get the care needed for the unborn baby or the mother herself. Dr Chesley firmly believes we must turn this around now, “Because its Time!”

Dr. Chesley has received the endorsement of Mr. Amos Mc Clorey, Former President of the Cabarrus County NAACP. He is credited with revitalizing the local branch after spending his career life in the corporate world and doing work to support union workers. As President of the NAACP, he was not able to endorse a candidate because of the organization’s commitment to fairness and its legal constraints. Amos recently said, “Now, however, I can, and I am going to endorse Dr. Chesley!” Joanne first joined the NAACP at the age of 14, following the tradition set forth in her family. Her family is credited with integrating the school she attended in 1959 and integrating the county school buses there, in Charles County MD. At the age of 14, Dr Chesley, alongside other ‘woke’ youths, organized a protest to successfully integrate a lunch counter in LaPlata Md.

Dr. Chesley has also been endorsed by Equality NC, the nation's oldest statewide organization committed to securing rights and protections for the LGBTQ community. They aim to ensure that every North Carolinian sees themselves reflected in this movement, working together to create a safer, more equitable world for all marginalized individuals. “Together, we can build a better North Carolina.” Dr Chesley passionately believes that one’s sexual orientation and/ or one’s gender preference should never be used to discriminate or to deny access to any and everything America has to offer all of its citizens. North Carolina must commit to serving all of its citizens with fairness, “Because its Time!”

Down Home NC has also endorsed Dr. Chesley, seeing her as fully representative of its mission and values. The organization stands up for rural communities, recognizing that their needs and interests are very specific. Rural communities often have been left out of the growth and economic development conversations. They often experience health care problems to a higher degree, having less access to medical facilities. Educational resources are fewer, numbers of teachers and other school professionals are fewer, and students often show larger gaps in learning. Dr Chesley grew up in Charles County, Maryland, a very rural county, where her family raised tobacco and corn and depended on well water which dried up every summer. She recalls having to go with her dad to the fire station to get water. Her grandmother did not have electricity and worked as a ‘domestic’ in the homes of rich white people only to make $8 per day. Joanne can relate to people who must work a bit harder to get the things they need. She commits to standing up for our citizens in District 83 and across our state, who need a voice in the General Assembly, “Because it’s Time!”

The Black Political Caucus has endorsed Dr. Chesley. This organization has worked since 1965 to ensure that people of color get seats at the table where decisions are made. This means running for office, getting elected. This means encouraging citizens to register to vote and then to actually vote to make the difference. Dr Chesley commits to these same goals and will, as a candidate and as an elected official, continue to mobilize the spirit of advocacy, the work of electing people of color, and the dismantling of voter suppression, “Because it’s Time!”
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