We The People Greenville

09/18/2026

NOW LIVE: Meet Caroline Avinger, Democrat running for SC House District 24

Stand Up Upstate is excited to kick off our 2026 GOTV Campaign: Meet Your Candidate.

Local candidates deserve the opportunity to explain who they are, what they believe, what they would prioritize and how they would represent their constituents. And voters deserve the opportunity to hear those answers.

Our role is to provide information. Your role is to listen, ask questions and decide.

We’re kicking things off with Caroline Avinger, Democratic candidate for SC House District 24, which includes parts of Greenville and Mauldin. Host Michelle asks Caroline about her priorities, her experience and even a couple of fun questions.

Watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE45uiah_LU&t=57s Get informed. Make your voice count.

Caroline Avinger is running for South Carolina House District 24, w...

09/16/2026

Important Reminder

Planning to vote in the General Election? You have the power to make sure your registration is active and up to date. Visit scvotes.gov and make sure your registration is up to date by October 2. If you have any problems registering, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-687-8683

09/15/2026

2026 GOTV Campaign: Meet Your Candidates

Just 49 days to go before the election. Now’s the time to hear from the candidates running to represent you.

Stand Up Upstate contacted candidates from both parties to discuss their plans for addressing the needs of their communities. We felt this was really important because local candidates don’t always get the visibility they deserve, even though these are the very people who can have the greatest impact on our lives.

Coming up this week on Stand Up Upstate:
📍 Caroline Avinger...................SC House District 24
📍 Courtney McClain.................U.S. House District 4
📍 Lynn Ramirez..........................SC House District 16

Learn about the candidates and make your voice heard!

09/10/2026

NOW LIVE! Approaches to the Affordability Crisis.

In this follow-up episode of Stand Up Upstate, Julie Meredith, Director of Furman University’s Riley Institute takes a closer look at the affordability crisis and, importantly, what we can actually do about it

Because affordability isn’t just about wages.
Can you take a job if you can’t afford childcare?
Can you build a career without experience?
Can you start over after incarceration if no one will give you a chance?

Across the Upstate, people are trying new approaches.
*Employer-supported childcare
*Youth apprenticeships & paid work experience
*Earn-while-you-learn programs
*Workforce training
*Second-chance employment

These aren’t just ideas. They’re happening in communities across all 10 Upstate counties. And that raises a bigger question: What’s working—and how can we do more of it?

WATCH Follow-up Episode 12 https://youtu.be/VCiuUpqfsWQ
Join the conversation and SHARE it with someone who cares about the future of the Upstate.

In this follow-up episode, we take a closer look at the affordabili...

09/09/2026

Episode 12 Follow-up: New Approaches to the Affordability Crisis. COMING SOON!

Working. Paying bills. Still can't afford to live here? The affordability crisis is real but so are the solutions.

Across the Upstate, communities are trying new approaches: livable wages, apprenticeships, job training, employer-supported childcare and second-chance employment. These aren’t just ideas. They’re happening now. So what’s working? And what could the Upstate do better?

In our follow-up, host Michelle talks with Julie Meredith, Director of the Center for Critical Issues at Furman’s Riley Institute, about innovative approaches to building a more affordable Upstate.

Stay tuned and please like, share and subscribe! Your support helps us keep critical issues in the forefront and bring important conversations to our neighbors across the Upstate.

09/04/2026

NOW LIVE! Watch Episode 12 and don’t just watch. SHARE it.

You’re working. You’re paying the bills. So why are you still struggling to afford your life?

In Episode 12 of Stand Up Upstate, hosts Anna and Michelle are talking ALICE, livable wages, affordable housing and the rising cost of living.

Did you know 44% of full-time workers in South Carolina don’t earn enough to cover basic expenses for one adult and one child. And $20 an hour isn’t enough in 74% of SC counties. *

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour. The Upstate is growing. But who can afford to live here?

Watch Episode 12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUl9JCvL3kU&t=17s and join the conversation. After you’re done watching, check out the show notes, lots of good stuff there.

With just 60 days until the midterms, affordability is an issue we can’t afford to ignore.

Watch. Talk about it. Share it. And make sure your voice is heard this November.



Resources: *United For ALICE, ALICE Threshold, 2024, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample, 2024

You’re working. You’re doing everything “right.” So why can’t you m...

09/03/2026

COMING SOON EPISODE 12!

Ever heard of ALICE? It stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, a term used by the United Way’s UNITED FOR ALICE movement to describe working households who earn too much to qualify as “poor,” but not enough to afford the basics.

They work. They contribute. They’re our neighbors. And yet, they still can’t afford to live here.

In Episode 12, we’re talking livable wages, affordability and ALICE households in the Upstate. Because the people who keep our communities running are increasingly being priced out of them.

08/26/2026

Episode 11 is NOW LIVE!

What exactly is gender-affirming care? Hint: It’s about much more than hormone therapy or surgery. It can also include mental-health support, counseling, peer support, community resources and more.

Host Abby Rose sits down with Kit Hawkins (they/them) of the Q***r Wellness Center (QWC/864PRIDE) to talk about the challenges facing q***r and trans people in the Upstate and where they can find support.

From group therapy and peer support to medical scholarships and a resource closet, QWC is helping LGBTQ+ people find the resources and community they need. All programs and services are free. Please consider donating to QWC, so they continue to do this important work.

WATCH NOW: https://youtu.be/nu5ruOrzTko

Also check out Episode 11 show notes on our YouTube channel. There you'll find a list of LGBTQ+ organizations and providers in the Upstate as well as other important information.

***rWellnessCenter

What Exactly Is Gender-Affirming Care?When you hear gender-affirm...

08/22/2026

Coming Soon on Stand Up Upstate!

What does it really mean to provide support, wellness resources and gender-affirming care to LGBTQ+ people in the Upstate?

We recently sat down with Kit Hawkins, Certified Peer Support Specialist with the Q***r Wellness Center Greenville, for an important conversation about LGBTQ+ and transgender health, mental wellness, gender-affirming care, community and the challenges facing q***r and trans people in South Carolina.

Kit shares insights from their professional experience and a deep commitment to creating safe, supportive spaces where everyone can feel seen, heard, and valued.

P.S. You may know the Q***r Wellness Center as 864PRIDE or QWC—they’re all one and the same.

***rWellnessCenter

08/16/2026

Homelessness is getting worse and civil rights are under attack.

Join the People Power Action Call on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 8 PM ET to learn how we can organize for real solutions that invest in housing rather than criminalizing people experiencing homelessness.

Hear from guest speakers Tara Stutsman, the ACLU’s Deputy Director of National Justice Campaign, and Jessie Rabionowitz, Campaign and Communications Director of the National Homelessness Law Center. Learn how you can get involved and take action.

Sign up for the Zoom call here:

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