Grassroots organizers in the Piedmont region are hoping to sign up 1,000 young people from North and South Carolina, but not many people knew they were in Durham Wednesday night recruiting participants.
"We're looking to develop the leaders of the new world, really to build this civilization," organizer Taryn Mitchell said.
They're calling it the Million Youth Movement, which is scheduled for Labor Day in Atlanta. Kelven Hargraves was among the few who turned out to sign up his 13-year-old niece.
"She just needs to find out what's going on in the world today, and the million youth movement will give her the opportunity to do that at this particular time in her life," Hargraves said.
Hargraves believes the experience will be a positive one for his niece, even though he admits there may be controversy like there was with the first two marches.
The controversy surrounds one of the organizers, Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam.
Organizers say despite allegations about Farrakhan, this event is designed to unify races, not divide.
"We are really transcending all of the differences that usually divide us on such wide terms, and so a lot of the youth are really expressing that they have not had the chance to really build alliances," Mitchell said. "So this is a chance for them to be able to do that."
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