Politics

Nancy Shakir

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Q: Address: A: 1105 Martindale Drive Fayetteville, N.C. 28304

Q: How long have you lived in North Carolina's 8th district? A: I've been in and out of Fayetteville since my parents return there in 1977. I bought my house in about 2003 and moved permanently there immediately after my retirement in 2005.

Q: Family A: Three children- One grandchild

Q: Education: A: BA-Rutgers (History) MA-St. Peter's (Education)

Q: Previous political experience: A: County Committee; Municipal Council candidate; Asst. to State Senator; Staff for National Democratic Convention; Delegate to White House Conference on Families; Campaign worker for municipal, state and federal campaigns; Commissioner on Civil Rights Commission (Municipal).

Q: Previous professional experience: A: Ms. Shakir was a High School Social Studies teacher and served as District Supervisor for Social Studies and Language Arts prior to her retirement in 2005. She was the founder and coach for a championship high school debate team for ten years and founded and served as Poetry Club advisor for five years. A recipient of the Geraldine R. Dodge Education Fellowship, Ms. Shakir was also Teacher of the Year, and a recipient of the New Jersey Historical Commission History Teacher Award. Her early work life included being a presser in a laundry, a waitress, an office cleaner and sales clerk. Her work experience also includes having been Assistant Director of Education & Outreach for a theater company, General Manager & Market Personnel Recruiter for McDonald's Corporation, Executive Director the Tri-City Peoples' Community Based Organization, Administrative Assistant in Mayor's Office of Employment & Training. Nancy served as a consultant with the American Institute for History Education, as a consultant with Educational Testing Services, the United States Department of Education and the New Jersey Department of Education. She is the recipient of the Cave Canem Poetry Fellowship, The Rutgers University Ruth Fryer Creative Writing Honors Award as well as a Dodge Poetry Scholarship. Ms. Shakir has studied at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and her poetry and short stories have been anthologized as well as having her history research articles and essays published. A founding member and officer of the Coalition of 100 Black Women, she has also served on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Council for the Social Studies and the New Jersey Center for Civic and Law Related Education. She was a Non-Governmental Agency delegate to the United Nations Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, and she served as a staff member at a National Democratic Convention, as a delegate for the White House Conference on Families and as a Commissioner on the Montclair, N.J. Civil Rights Commission. An anti-racist trainer, she has presented at Regional as well as National Teacher Conferences. Nancy writes opinion editorials for the Fayetteville Observer where she served as a member of the Community Advisory Board. She is a volunteer with the Cumberland County Progressives, hosts a local Progressives cable show and is a member of the Fayetteville Peace with Justice Committee, the Carolina African American Writers Collective as well as having been a volunteer reader for the blind and a reading buddy in Fayetteville school.

Q: Community, Political and Religious organizations in which you are involved: A: Board of Directors Gilbert Theater; Advisory Board for Fayetteville Observer; Director of Communications for Cumberland County Progressives; Member of HOPE (Help Our Public Employees); Member Cumberland County Senior Dems;

Q: Your campaign website address: A: Nancy Shakir For Congress NC08 http://www.nancyshakirfornc08.com/

Q: Why are you running for Congress? A: Because I believe we need a ‘true' Democrat in that seat; someone who will uphold the Democratic party's platform; someone we can trust to promote the best interests of the people of the 8th District.

Q: What are the greatest challenges facing people who live in North Carolina's 8th District and what would you do to address those challenges that would make voters choose you? A: High unemployment is a serious problem in the 8th Congressional District. People need jobs that provide decent living wages for men and women and wages that allow families to live with dignity. As we begin to emerge from a deep recession brought on by eight years of Bush policies, we need to focus on creating jobs for the people in our District. A New York Times article Judging Stimulus by Job Data Reveals Success on the Recovery Act passed by in 2009 reports that "outside evaluations of the stimulus by best-known economic research firms all estimate that the bill has added 1.6 million to 1.8 million jobs so far and that its ultimate impact will be roughly 2.5 million jobs according to IHS Global Insight, Macroeconomic Advisers and Moody's Economy.com. The Congressional Budget Office, an independent agency, considers these estimates to be conservative." The Recovery Act was a good start to turning our economy around. We must continue to develop ways to create job growth through legislation by continuing to invest in infrastructure, states, and direct job creation. We must also provide incentives for small and new business growth. With the demand for new energy technologies, there is an enormous potential for new job growth in the "green jobs" arena in which could provide many jobs in manufacturing, research, transportation and the technology sectors to name a few. Small businesses employ most of the workers in our country and in our District, and they have been leading in "green" technologies and innovation. The United States can lead the world in these new technologies, and I'll support these initiatives that will bring these jobs to our District, help our small businesses thrive, and put people to work. Another key component of getting people back to work is access to technical training, educational opportunities in new areas of study, and support services for workers. I strongly support such programs for workers in our District and will work to expand these opportunities for our citizens.

Q: What are the first changes you would work to implement if you are elected? A: Finding ways to bring jobs to an area that has been a powerhouse for industry in the past. That means retrofitting and rebuilding; supporting small and green businesses in those efforts. Determining ways that our beautiful agricultural lands can be fully utilized.

Q: What prior experience do you have that best prepares you for this office? A: I have lived a life of activism and work on influencing policy with a commitment to justice and equity for all people.

Q: What is the toughest criticism you think you will face in this election, and what is your response to that criticism? A: Probably the age factor, but I have easily been able to demonstrate my energy and intellect throughout my life and throughout this campaign. "If I could have convinced more slaves that they were slaves, I could have freed thousands more." --Harriet Tubman

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." -- E.B. White