
These discussions came the day after the nation took a moment to nationally recognize slain civil rights leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
During his lifetime, Dr. King raised the fundamental question: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Indeed, this became the central focus of our discussions Tuesday and Wednesday night.

During the events, one individual, Raul Polo Cortes, a well-known poet, said that we need to come together and get involved.


On the following night, Willingboro resident and military veteran Rance Robeson said that we need to work with others to improve the community and honor the life and legacy of Dr. King.
New Black Panther Party Spokesperson Divine Allah said that he is going to continue to do what he is doing in the community and stick to his principles.
Community activist Kieanna Childs Alexander said that we need to make sure we understand our history so that we never forget where we came from.
Writer Will Deshair Foskey said that we need to be fearless as we try to improve our communities.

The panelists went on to say that we need to take other steps to improve the community. Playwright
Rashad Walker said that we need to set up a concrete action plan to deal with community issues.
Others said that we need to work with and speak to our lawmakers and city council members to address social ills.
I , as the moderator, went on to say that we need to capitlize on our unique skill sets and get involved in whatever ways those skill sets can be utilized. For instance, if you have knack for tutoring, why not be a tutor? If you have a gift for mentoring, then why not mentor, and so on.
Overall, the discussions shed light on future directions but still need to be more specific in terms of addressing current issues like education, public safety, and quality of life problems.
Neikel Butler from the Boys and Girls Club brought poets from her poetry program and they recited their work.
The discussions or community forums will continue. Stay tuned...
For access to video coverage of these community forums, click below:
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