Che Apalache Founder Joe Troop Was Talking About USPS Funding Before It Was Cool

WUNC | By Frank Stasio,

Published August 21, 2020 at 12:23 PM EDT

Credit Courtesy of Joe Troop

Singer-songwriter Joe Troop has been putting out a lot of music during the coronavirus pandemic — including a song he released on YouTube in late April called “A Plea to the US Government to Fully Fund the Postal Service." The song went viral and garnered more than 400,000 signatures to take action to save the post office.

Host Frank Stasio talks to singer and songwriter Joe Troop about his love for the United States Postal Service and his new project 'Pickin' for Progress.'

It was part of a successful campaign by RuralOrganizing.org to raise awareness of postal service funding, and it spawned a new project that Troop is spearheading, called “Pickin’ for Progress.” The video series features interviews with artists, politicians, activists, community leaders and stakeholders from across the state talking about the biggest issues in the upcoming election. Troop has interviewed people including Juana Luz Tabor Ortega, an immigrant living in sanctuary in Greensboro, Indigenous Lumbee activist Alexis Raeana Jones and bail reform advocate Dreama Caldwell. Troop talks about “Pickin’ for Progress” with host Frank Stasio and shares some new music.

You can find the full video series here:

You can find out more about Troop's advocacy work to increase voter participation here.