🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. Carla Franklin is Tired of Toeing the Line
2. Our Election Coverage So Far
3. What We’re Reading

Carla Franklin is Tired of Toeing the Line

Born and raised in Greensboro, Carla Franklin first left the city for college at Duke University. Post graduation, she ended up working as a programmer and then in the world of consulting. After getting married and living in New York for 12 years, Franklin and her husband moved back to Greensboro.

“I just remember it being such a hidden gem in North Carolina,” she said.

After she had kids, she found a new passion: education. She became disillusioned with public schools—including the Guilford County Schools from which she graduated—and started her own business promoting school choice for Black and brown children in Greensboro.

While this is her first time running for public office, Franklin said her years of experience in business would translate well to a seat on the Greensboro City Council. Franklin, a former Democrat, is now registered as unaffiliated and is running for one of three at-large seats on the nine-member city council. 

She was prompted to run for council, she said, after seeing a “lack of transformative leadership at the city level.”

“I think there has been a history of having city leaders who come through certain established networks,” she said. “I don’t think that works for Greensboro in the current era. I think we need new blood at this time.”

City council elections in Greensboro are technically non-partisan. But this election, in which at least half the council seats will turn over at once, has already seen more partisanship and direct involvement from local parties than in most years.

When asked about her party switch, Franklin said she no longer identifies with the Democratic Party.

“I want to build bridges with people of all walks of life,” she said. “That meant I wanted to go independent. I talk to everybody: conservatives, Democrats, independents. I feel like a bridge builder. And I’m encouraging other Black people to talk to everyone.”

Read the full story here.

— Sayaka Matsuoka

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

Not a subscriber yet? Good journalism is expensive–and we need your support to do more of it. For just $6 a month or $60 a year, you’ll unlock full access to our archives and help us grow in 2025.

Already a subscriber? Consider giving the gift of The Assembly to a friend.

Subscribe To The Assembly

A Final Run For Zack Matheny

Facing criticism and an ongoing SBI investigation, Matheny said he is still concentrating on the […]

April Parker Says District 3 Needs a New Voice 

The librarian and community organizer says she can represent the district and the city more […]

Former District 2 Council Member Looking for a Comeback

Jim Kee represented District 2 from 2009 to 2013, when Jamal Fox unseated him by […]


See more of our 2025 Greensboro City Council coverage here.

What We’re Reading

Guilty on All Counts: Ryan Routh, the former Greensboro man charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last year, was found guilty Tuesday in a Florida court. He attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen shortly after the verdict was announced. The News & Record has more.

National Recognition: The National Offices of Violence Prevention Network has presented Greensboro Community Safety Director Latisha McNeil with its Trailblazer of the Year Award. WFDD has the story.

Shooting Suspect Arrested: The Greensboro Police have arrested and charged a suspect in a shooting that took place on Sunday. Zoe Santana, 27, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into occupied property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, possession of a stolen firearm, and discharging firearms in city limits. Fox8 has more.

Want to see your message here? Contact advertise@theassemblync.com to learn how you can reach The Assembly’s 120,000 readers statewide.

Joe Killian is The Assembly's Greensboro editor. He joined us from NC Newsline, where he was senior investigative reporter. He spent a decade at The News & Record covering cops and courts, higher education, and government.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.