Change Starts With You

Driven by the need for systemic change, Beats on the Streets’ programs mobilize our community to build power and heal trauma in order to create a healthier and more equitable world. We are a nonpartisan 501c3 nonprofit based in Pitt County, NC founded in 2022. 

North Carolina, with its significant rural Black population, growing Latinx population, and ongoing struggles for equity, became a natural focal point for a common theme we noticed— we have the numbers. In eastern North Carolina, people of color make up the vast majority in many communities, towns, and precincts. If we get our communities to vote, we can see change. If we dismantle cultural barriers to success, we can grow. If we heal from trauma, we can slowly start to thrive. Hence, our work primarily takes place in the Black Belt and other people of communities—- where we believe our communities can spark change.

The name "Beats on the Streets" emerged organically from conversations among local activists and community members. The "beats" represented the vibrant pulse of the community, the undeniable energy of their collective spirit. "On the Streets" signifies our commitment to grassroots organizing, to bringing the movement directly to the people, where they live, work, and gather. Beats on the Streets represents the sound of our collective voice resonating in the public sphere, demanding to be heard—our music—our heartbeat— our hope for change.