The rights of Green Card holders are clearly outlined in writing, by the U.S. government. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services government website, permanent residents have the right to be “protected by all laws of the United States, your state of residence and local jurisdiction.” Further there is decades of precedent confirming the legal rights to free speech and political protest held by permanent residents.

Public Square Amplified continued its conversation with Dr. Cofield, asking her to draw parallels between past and present racist practices and to share her thoughts on whether today’s generation has the ability to organize, protest, and effectively fight for their rights.

Dr. Willa Cofield describes Enfield, the North Carolina town where she was born and raised, as a close-knit community shaped by familial ties, shared cultural norms, a spirit of entrepreneurship, and the Black church as its anchor.

Public Square Amplified sat down with Cofield to learn more about how she fought for civil rights, and how present-day advocates can learn from her strategies and be inspired by her quiet ferocity.