Students from Broughton, Sanderson, Enloe, and Southeast Raleigh met withone common goal: to open up dialogue about affirmative action and to dispel all the myths.
The high school students spent part of their night in a crowded room ofFirst Baptist Church ,with adults looking on, as they discussed bothsides of the controversial issue.
Organizer Bridgette Rasberry calls affirmative action a very highly debatable, highly emotional subject that's being talked about out nationwide. Thursday's discussion mirrors efforts made during the civilrights movement of the 60's.
When Doctor Martin Luther King began the civil rights movement, ShawUniversity was one of his starting points. King led marchers from Shaw todowntown Raleigh as part of a civil rights rally. Doctor Willie High wasan instructor at Shaw at the time.
High says being a part of history and standing in the place where therally had once taken place is something she will always remember.
Years later, the battle over civil rights in society continues.
"One of the things Martin Luther King did was to get people talking," ...explains, "to get people moving towards change. This is a positive way todo that."
By having a discussion about affirmative action, organizers feel anenvironment of understanding will be fostered between the races, insteadof hostility.
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