A message to potential Siler City relocation grant applicants

A message from Kristen Picot, Executive Director of StartUP Siler, and Sr. Vice President of North American Special Programs, CJGRPINC Foundation, Inc.

When I came to Siler City, North Carolina, I experienced the majesty that is the rolling hills, the southern charm of an invitation to home cooking, and the country air smelling as sweet and crisp as the Lord designed. I wanted to work for the people, to serve a community that was desperate for opportunities. Despite the infamy of the county Siler resides in, I believed (and believe) that the people were worth more than the contempt of a few.

The people are what keep me going. However, the old institutions that exist, (“the old guard”) are those who cling to the unsavory parts of the 50s, as often described by so many. 

These people who live in some seats of power, and use their influence to exploit and pedal long-thought fears of the good people of a town in the beginning phases of growth and expansion.  They do this to enrich themselves, whether purposely or unknowingly, they leave out the vast majority of a suffering community, made up mostly of women and people of color. 

Now is the time to usher in a new era. To change, reshape, transform and evict the ignorant who are unwilling to change. Evict those who refused to see women in power and get rid of those who view POC’s as a threat to their idea of civility. 

The purpose of the StartUp Siler Grant is to get together a group of like-minded people who want to be a part of growth in the area. To work with nonprofits in the area that foster progression and advancement of all people.

For example, there is a homeless problem in Siler City. A nonprofit in the area wanted to buy a building to provide a solution. Yet, the “old guard” put a stop to it. 

The building is located in downtown Siler City, which is currently coming back from ruins and currently under development by some people with noble intentions, and has a growing art community. Their main reasoning is they did not want homeless people downtown, as if they somehow are inferior beings.

There are multiple incidents of racism and discrimination in Siler City, and within Chatham County that goes unreported. The last lynching in Chatham was on September 17, 1921. The victim was a man named: Eugene Daniel. Click Here However, this was not the end of racism and discrimination in Chatham. During the early part of 2000, there had been an increase in immigration within the LatinX community in Siler City. In response, there was a Klan rally where infamous David Duke, the one-time grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, showed up to a protest in support of deportation of the population of illegal immigrants who moved to Siler City to provide for their families. Click Here

This racism and discrimination continued into 2018, when 60 adults and 50 children were displaced when a new chicken plant was brought to town. This chicken plant pushed the residents of the LatinX neighborhood to abandon their homes. As cited in the 2018 article, residents of the mobile home park were provided a “mobile home park list” to find a new place to live, and when checked, as per the article, out of the 14 parks, only two homes and one lot became available. Click Here

In 2019, someone sent a racially motivated letter was sent to a black restaurant owner. As reported in the article, the letter stated, “You will not make it here. Leave town, or we will help you.” Click Here

During the 2022 Municipal election in Siler City, candidates, a black man running for a town district (Sam Williams) and a Latino man running for mayor (Nick Gallardo), along with Jared Picot and Dean Picot, were the targets of racial and homophobic attacks via text messaging from a local hate group. The text messages included a noose drawn around Gallardo’s neck. Click Here

However, local law enforcement ignored the threat of lynching POC candidates in Siler City. The local Siler City Chief of Police was quoted, referring to the photo sent to Gallardo depicting a KKK puppet lynching a black doll, as saying “You don’t see a noose, you don’t see skin color, “ and “you can’t see anything from the shoulders up….” Click Here 

Meanwhile, a significant local news station in Raleigh, WRAL, reported on the racially and homophobic messages. This shed light on how complex the situation was for the candidates and the citizens of Siler City. Click Here

Children have been the targets of racism. Earlier this year, a Chatham county school held a mock “slave auction” for black students. Click Here

These are only a few tales of the racism and discrimination that exists in Siler City. To say that racism does not exist ignores what has been occurring for decades.  

Yes, Siler City is a place where dreams come true because the town is on the precipice of growth and is a beautiful place to live. The vast majority of people are welcoming, loving and will embrace you with open arms and good meals. It is the “old guard” and those who are unwilling to educate themselves and be a part of improving the lives of those around them. 

To clarify from my experience and those who have shared their experiences with me: “The old guard”  does not include ALL those who may be long rooted in this community.  As a very small few of them actually add to the progress of women and genuinely want to see their community prosper as a whole. It is those who do not, or those who come into Siler City and pander to those few ignorant people with power, the decrepit and their offspring.

The relocation grant is for any expenses related to moving to Siler City, North Carolina. StartUP Siler Grant members will receive a $10,000 grant to relocate to Siler City, and to make Siler City a place you can call home.