WHEN
Sunday, July 23, 4-5:30pm
WHERE
Frank Eagles Business Center
Wilson Community College
902 Herring Avenue
Wilson, NC 27893
FREE AND
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
* Refreshments will be served
(Registration available on Eventbrite)
TOPICS COVERED
Redistricting
Voting Rights
General Legislative Updates
WHO
Representative Jean Farmer- Butterflied,
Senator Angela Bryant,
Senator Erica Smith-Ingram, and
Anita Earls,
Southern Coalition for Social Justice,
Representative Shelly Willingham, and
Senator Don Davis
North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus
919-715-5723
nclbc@ncleg.net
North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus
East Carolina University junior Erick Jenkins is one of five students from across the country selected to participate in a prestigious leadership program this fall.
Jenkins, son of Anika Sanders and Jerome Jenkins of Wilson, received a partial scholarship for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute’s Leadership and the American Presidency program dedicated to developing the next generation of citizen leaders.
The program is made possible in partnership with Campus Compact to provide scholarships to Newman civic fellows like Jenkins for their commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.
Campus Compact, of which ECU is a member, is a national coalition of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that promotes community service and civic engagement in higher education.
ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton submitted the nomination for Jenkins to be a 2017 Campus Compact Newman civic fellow.
“He is a student leader interested in leadership, activism and democratic engagement,” said Staton. “Erick has committed himself to putting many of ECU’s most treasured values — public service, leadership and community engagement — into action. His participation as a Newman civic fellow will continue ECU’s strong tradition of Campus Compact involvement and reflect ECU’s commitment to educating students to be engaged, thoughtful and active citizens.”
From August through May 2018, Jenkins will examine the leadership journeys of presidents in relation to his own life as well as hear from leaders in business, government and the nonprofit sector while completing coursework and an internship in Washington. He will have access to a variety of virtual and in-person learning opportunities including a national conference.
“The Newman Civic Fellows program and Reagan institute are a perfect fit for Erick Jenkins,” said Dennis McCunney, director of ECU’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. “He has amazing civic leadership skills, and he is passionate about citizenship, voting rights and advocating for people whose voices often go unheard. I’m excited about this opportunity for him; he puts ECU’s mission into action so well.”
Jenkins is majoring in communication.
I wrote a light blogpost last month about Mayor Dan Clodfelter proclaiming April 30 “Honesty Day” in Charlotte. Honesty Day, it turned out, is observed on that date nationwide. I noted a Wikipedia explanation of what it’s all about: “On this day, anyone participating may ask any question they choose and the opposing person should give a truthful and straightforward answer.” I invited readers to say what they would ask, and of whom. David Fry of Charlotte was among those who responded. “To: observer editors “Question? Why do you support such a liberal agenda? “Remember you’re supposed to answer honestly.”
Well, rules are rules, so I suppose you deserve an honest answer for Honesty Day. Here goes:
We believe that everyone is created equal.
We believe that children should not bear responsibility for the sins of their parents.
We believe that prevention is a heck of a lot cheaper than a cure.
We believe people should not be treated as lesser citizens, with fewer rights, because of whom they love.
We believe a thriving city, state and nation rest to a great degree in the quality of public schools and that every child deserves a dedicated, dynamic teacher, regardless of what ZIP code that child lives in.
We believe discrimination is wrong in every instance.
We believe in consistency, so if you are going to drug-test recipients of public assistance, drug-test them all, including the corporate chieftains who are the biggest beneficiaries.
We believe that police officers should act professionally, under incredibly difficult circumstances, regardless of a suspect’s race.
We believe taxes should be kept as low as possible while still providing a sound safety net for the neediest, a robust education for all, decent health care for the elderly and the destitute, and other basics.
We believe politicians of any party should keep their promises, avoid the appearance of personal gain from the public trust and look out for the general welfare, not that of any one special interest.
We believe there are people of worth beyond our tight circle and there are neighborhoods beyond our own, with different histories, perspectives and needs.
We believe offenders have paid their price when their sentence is up and should be helped to assimilate back into society. And that that’s better for the community than neglecting them and watching them commit another crime.
We believe there are peace-loving Muslims.
We do not believe President Obama was born in Kenya.
We believe in the separation of church and state.
We believe Charlotte will need effective mass transit to handle its continually swelling population.
We believe if you’re a fan of a politician solely because he has a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ after his name, then you’re not paying attention.
We believe we have only one planet, and we should protect it for our grandchildren. If that earns us the label “liberal” in your eyes, Mr. Fry, so be it.
We approach the issues of the day with an open mind and guided by those principles, not by blind devotion to any political party. And that’s the honest truth.
TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY
Taylor Batten is the editorial page editorial of the Charlotte Observer
