Black/Brown Conference: An Extraordinary Success

by the Beloved Community Center

Oct. 9, 2008

[The first of three proposed Black and Brown conferences to be held across North Carolina was an extraordinary success.  On October 3rd and 4th 2008, more than 250 people, mainly from the central region of North Carolina, converged on Genesis Baptist Church in Greensboro for two challenging and creative days of Black/Brown unity building.]

On the first day of the Black/Brown conference participants joined in a ceremonious welcome, cultural sharing, and artistic expressions through music, song, dance, drumming and poetry, as well as small group collective exercises that engaged the question of what is really required to forge enduring unity between African-Americans and Latinos.  This sharing was followed by a dinner in which the body of cultures present came together to sit at a table of cultural foods and fellowship.  Rev. Maria Palmer, Director of Multicultural Student affairs at North Carolina A&T State University and Rev. Marvin Morgan of the Smithfield Campaign facilitated a spirited worship service.  Rev. Morgan led a moving tribute about his father who worked in the tobacco fields.  The day ended with what one person described as “three of the most powerful and relevant messages I have ever heard”.  The speakers included Rev. Baldemar Velasquez, President of the National Farm Labor Organizing Committee, Rev. William Barber, President of North Carolina State NAACP Conference and Rev. Carlton Eversley of Delbrook Presbyterian Church and the Winston-Salem Ministers Alliance.  (Videos of the conference including the three messages will be available soon).

On day two of the conference participants engaged with panelists in a discussion that explored “The Fierce Urgency of Now-Why a Black/Brown Coalition?”  The panel probed the question of how globalization and immigration are reshaping the social landscape including the urgency of forging Black/Brown relationships.  With the panel’s framing of the larger issues informing Black/Brown relationships, conference participants broke down into workshops including Blacks and Latinos in public, secondary, and higher education; migrant worker and Black/Brown relationships; issues that affect building unity among Black/Brown youth including street “gangs”; seeking common moral ground within our faith traditions, the opportunities and challenges of 2008 elections in building Black/Brown unity; and, issues and trends affecting African-American and Latino relationships in the larger workforce.  James Andrews, president of the North Carolina AFL-CIO gave an inspiring and compelling lunch presentation on why the labor movement must stand for Black/Brown Unity and why the kind of faith/community/labor and youth gathering was so important.  One of the strong points of the conference was its diversity including about 40% African-American and 40% Latino with a large number of youth, grassroots leaders, and workers.  

With the invaluable help of a multi-city steering committee, volunteers from various colleges and community organizations, a strong coalition was built and the spirit of unity was seen and felt throughout the conference.  Organizers and participants agreed that the spirit of Black/Brown unity must be continuously uplifted.  The closing plenary chaired by Rev. Nelson Johnson and Rev. Maria Palmer was received and together they refined the workshop reports and agreed on seven specific work priorities.  A Continuation Committee was established to guide the work of the conference including planning two more conferences.  In a closing ceremony all stood together to declare:  Today, we solemnly pledge to expose the scapegoating and blaming that pervades our state and nation.  We pledge to work together to seek more justice, equality and prosperity for all who live in our communities.  We pledge to stand together with faith and courage to implement the seven priorities.  Forming a huge circle within the sanctuary we individually declared that “I am a link in the circle and the circle will not break here.”

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