Friend of the Blend activist Jacob Tobia of Duke, who was there with fellow students representing the sentiments of Duke and UNC student bodies, intended to position himself at the front of the room to hand the letter to the President. I spoke with him outside while waiting in line to enter the White House. I asked him about his plan.

Dear NCGA,

Hey, it’s me. I don’t know if you remember me or not, but we used to be pretty good friends. Do you remember that awkward high schooler who stood at the dais of the Senate back in 2007 when he was a Senate page? You remember, the one who had just gotten a haircut because his father said that he should look presentable at the legislature. The one who had long, brown, curly hair before then. You don’t remember me? But I stood right at the front of the Senate sessions, just to the right of the now-governor Beverly Perdue.