SALISBURY — North Carolina families facing workplace challenges such as caring for sick family members and the Medicaid Gap will host a panel discussion City Hall, 217 S. Main St. at 6-8 p.m. Thursday, from 6-8 p.m.

Focused on family forward work practices and policies, an open floor Q&A session will follow the panel discussion.  

Panelists will include Ana Pardo, policy advocate of the Workers’ Rights Project, Beth Messersmith, senior campaign director of MomsRising Together & MomsRising Education Fund, Corey Hill, president of the UAW, Beverly Kerr, board chair of Giver of Destiny & project evaluator of One Love Community Program, and storytellers Gloria Gray and Amanda Thompson.

The discussion will be facilitated by Salisbury Mayor Al Heggins.

The panel is a direct result of a storytellers training for local workers last week hosted by Women AdvaNCe, One Love Community Programs and The NC Justice Center. As part of the NC Families Care Coalition, the organizations are hosting a series of storytelling sessions designed to listen to North Carolina workers and assist them in communicating their concerns.   

“The question of whether we have support in the workplace to provide and care for ourselves and families is one we all should care a lot about,” said Pardo. “These issue impact working North Carolinians every single day, but rarely the focus of the public conversation. We’re changing that.”

Organizers say that family forward initiatives such as parental leave will improve health and well-being and keep Salisbury businesses competitive.