GREENSBORO, NC (February 27, 2026) – A new short film spotlighting the student-led voting rights movement at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is now available, offering an on-the-ground look at a generation of young activists determined to protect their voice at the ballot box. The film was produced in partnership with Democracy North Carolina, a statewide nonpartisan organization dedicated to expanding voter access and civic participation.
The short film follows student organizer Olu Rouse and his peers as they mobilize their campus in response to the loss of a critical on-campus polling site, a change that has created significant barriers to voter access for students and residents alike. Through candid footage and authentic storytelling, the short film captures the energy, strategy, and conviction driving this grassroots movement.
“Casting our ballots on A&T’s campus is a direct continuation of the legacy built by those who came before us — the A&T Four, Jesse Jackson, and countless others who sacrificed tremendously to secure our freedom to vote,” said Rouse, a third-year political science and economics student. “Honoring that legacy is not just a privilege, it is our responsibility.”
“The students of NC A&T carry a legacy that cannot be suppressed. Whoever thinks they can silence this campus, the largest HBCU in the nation, hasn’t learned their history. These students know their power, and they will organize, mobilize, and show up, on camera and at the ballot box,” said Adrienne Kelly, Executive Director of Democracy North Carolina.
The short film serves as a document of student activism and a call to action, making the case for the restoration of the campus polling site and the protection of voting rights for young students everywhere. For more information, visit @ProtectOursNC on Instagram.
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Democracy North Carolina is a statewide nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to strengthen democratic structures, build power among disenfranchised communities, and inspire confidence in a transformed political process that works for all.