‘A Legacy of Pride Panel Discussion – The Power of the Black Vote’ This Sunday

Cary, NC – On the 28th of February, African American: A Legacy of Pride Panel Discussion – The Power of the Black Vote will be hosted by The Ujima Group. The panel will consist of prominent members of the Black community including educator and education consultant Dr. Lester Thomas, journalist and filmmaker Cash Michaels, NCCU law professor and civil rights attorney Dr. Irving Joyner, educators Dennis Rogers, Ph.D. and Calvin Anderson, businessman and law professor Todd D. Sanders, retired entrepreneur Pauline Gardner, Jamil Thomas, a social worker. Rounding out the panel are Vince Bayan and Ron Gardner. The discussion will be moderated by Te’Asia Royster, a communications graduate from East Carolina University. The panelists will discuss the importance of the Black vote and the effects of voter suppression and gerrymandering on elections in this country.

Dr. Lester Thomas emphasized the importance of this conversation for the Black community, and especially for young adults. “The importance of educating them on voter suppression and voter rights is extremely important following the historical presidential election. The discussion will be separated into various segments with different panel members engaging in discussions regarding the Black vote, ID laws, Jim Crow laws (old and new), and issues such as felony disenfranchisement and gerrymandering. These topics of discussion are extremely important to not only the panelists but also the Black community within the United States.”

Dr. Thomas spoke about how the previous elections have been filled with lies and deceit and how this has negatively impacted the black and brown voting population in America. He went on to say, “having come out of the last election, we had a huge turnout. It reminded me of the Civil Rights era, a lot of the leaders were killed talking about voter rights and people now are wondering why their votes are being suppressed.”

He mentioned how there is a lot of aggression across America and how this has led to fear towards the Black voice and the Black vote. Dr. Thomas also complimented the Georgia election results and stated it was a turning point for the entire country. “The African American voters understood the importance of the vote. The power they gained through this unity shows that African Americans need to stay tenacious against suppression.”

Dr. Thomas is the founder of The Ujima Group, a group dedicated to teaching the younger generations about the importance of cultural diversity, computer technology, and risk prevention. The group is committed to making a difference in the community. Ujima itself is a Swahili term that means, “collective work and responsibility,” and it is these very principles that the group is trying to teach the younger generation.

African American: A Legacy of Pride Panel Discussion – The Power of the Black Vote will take place virtually on February 28th, starting at 4:00 PM.

For more information on the Ujima Group, please visit https://www.theujimagroupinc.com/