The Eatmon Project

The Eatmon Project, formerly known as the Youth Impact Project, is now named in memory and honor of Cherisse Eatmon, a zealous advocate for encouraging youth to actively engage in the electoral process in every way possible. Cherisse was also an advocate for teaching youth about issues relating to racial disparities and exposing and giving minority youth access to educational opportunities early in their lives.

In Cherisse’s memory, The Eatmon Project focuses on educating youth about issues of racial and social justice for purposes of engaging youth to actively educate, empower and engage other members of the community about such issues. The Eatmon Project has formed partnerships with a high school and middle school in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and will launch its program in Spring 2021.* The Eatmon Project consists of a 10-to-12 week program with a full curriculum that educates students about racial and social justice issues involving: (1) inequity in schools and the school to prison pipeline; (2) voter suppression and the importance of voting; and (3) the United States Constitution’s Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and how it practically applies to encounters with law enforcement. Young attorneys and local college students with a focus on law and criminal justice are trained to help mentor and instruct the children. 

The 2021 program will begin with pairing a certain number of students with each volunteer, who will assist the children throughout the program. The program culminates into the children preparing and making oral arguments based on a fact pattern that either focuses on the above-listed areas. With the assistance of the Eatmon Project’s volunteers, the children will be prepared to make their arguments to a panel of attorneys and judges. The children will also host a voter registration drive and informational at a location of their choice. At the end of the program, the children will enjoy a trip to a governmental building in or out of state. *

The Eatmon Project also hosted the #BreakTheMold challenge, a social media campaign, to educate and engage voters in the 2020/2021 elections.

*Subject to COVID-19 restrictions