Holding a glass of water in her hand Saturday, Juliette Reese, of Community Counseling Services, asked the crowd how they saw the glass.
“Half-full,” replied most of the 40 or so people who attended the African-American Leadership Summit in the Columbus Holiday Inn.
African Americans should look at the future the same way, overcoming the past with positive attitudes and hard work, Reese went on to say.
“(Hate) will kill you,” she added, “mentally, physically and spiritually.”
The message of unity was the focus of the all-day summit aimed at fostering discussion about issues in the black community. The summit is the first of several Black History Month events organized by Lowndes County District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks.
Reese, along with Dr. Pamela Lacy and the Rev. Kamal Karriem, were on a pre-lunch panel that spoke and fielded questions about some of the major issues: teen pregnancy, drugs, violence and low self-esteem.
Mississippi leads the nation in teen pregnancies and sex, partly because of a lack of sex education in the schools, Lacy said. And most of those problem teens are from racial minorities.
“Abstinence is great,” she said. “I encourage abstinence, but we need more (education).”
Most of the education now comes from the media, which “has made sex so glamorous,” she said.
“They”re getting information,” she said of teens, “and it”s not the right information.”
The problems are partly the result of history and the market-based economy, Karriem said. In America, “violence and money became the quest” early on, with the destruction of Native Americans and the enslavement of African Americans.
That history has culminated in self-loathing among young black men, which spawns violence and drug use, he said.
Crippled by these issues, Karriem said, the momentum of Civil Rights leaders is growing weaker daily.
“We have a whole generation that has bought into the idea that (the Civil Rights movement) was then and this is now,” he said.
To get back on track, the black community needs to focus on having positive attitudes, despite past wrongs, Reese emphasized.
“I don”t care what you think of me,” she said. “It”s what I think of me (that”s important).”
Other pre-lunch panels included a politicians panel, featuring Brooks, along with Ward 1 City Councilman Gene Taylor and District 4 Supervisor Jeff Smith; a young leaders panel, featuring Wendy Blount-Stewart, Kedgra Gray and minister Vernell Davis.
Before breaking for lunch, Brooks thanked panelists for refreshing his perspective.
“Sometimes in our minds, it just seems so overwhelming and we think to ourselves, ”There”s nothing we can do.””
He added, speaking of the discussion: “It gives you energy to go another day.”
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