wave oer the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] >> well done, well done, kathy. at this point we would like to bring up the reverend coates senior pastor and board member to lead us in prayer.

we will go on with the program from there as listed in your book. >> might we bow in a word of prayer. eternal god, we come to you today as humbley as we know how just to say thank you. we thank you for this day and this occasion that brings us together and we ask today that you would consecrate our hearts, our hands and our heads that we might make this world a better place. we gather today in the midst of unique and unprecedented times times of great challenge and times of tremendous difficulty and, god, we ask that your hand will continue to guide the leadership of this great nation, continue to lead and guide the national action network and all those concerned about peace, justice, and equality. we thank you for the life, legacy, and witness of your

servant who we honor today, the reverend dr. martin luther king jr. help us to discern your will and seek your direction as we endeavor to confront the challenges of our day. as we remember him, we remember the lives of all those who have innocently lost their lives in this day. grant on to us the clarity of thought and the unity of purpose in our efforts to make this nation and this world a place for all people, enable us to be a voice for the voiceless, hope for the hopeless and help for the helpless. compel us to seek peace where there is unrest, love where there is hate, and unity where there is division. we ask that you would raise the crown of justice and righteousness above our heads and we pray that you would encourage us to grow tall enough

to wear it. this is our prayer and we ask it in the name of hope, in the name of love, and in the name of peace, amen. >> well, we welcome you this morning and i have the esteemed privilege to introduce the reverend al sharpton, the president and c.e.o. of the national action network. when i think of reverend sharpton, i am reminded of a question that those who sat on the sidelines during the ministry of jesus of nazareth asked, as jesus of nazareth engaged in his prophetic ministry, there were many on the sidelines asked who is this man, who is this man born of a virgin, who is this man the son of a carpenter. who some man able to make the lame walk and multiply food for those who are hungry, who is this man who is able to

challenge the powers that be and who is this man who when given an opportunity to save himself stayed on the cross and died for the least of these. well, two milennia later there are people still asking the very same question, who is this man born in the inner cities of new york city, who is this man who emerged from being a childhood preacher, community activist who has been on the front lines of our nation's civil rights issue who is this man who founded the national action network this country's premiere civil rights organization. who is this man who is able to rub shoulders with the poor and with presidents and corporate c.e.o.s. it is my esteemed honor and privilege to welcome and to introduce and present today, the reverend al sharpton, president and c.e.o. of the national action network. won't you put your hands

together and receive him at this time. [applause] >> thank you, thank you very much reverend delmon coates who not only pastored one of our major congregations in our country, maryland, prince george county, as well as he serves on the board of directors on the national action network i might also add he has shown outstanding and i think exemplary coverage by standing up for civil rights issues across the board in our country. one of the things that i think that you must remember on king day is that dr. king said that

you measure a man not by where he stands in the hours of convenience, but where he stands in the hours of controversy and when we dealt with civil rights issues that were outside of what was comfortable, issues like immigration, issues like marriage equality that many of us only want civil rights for our tribe and not for everybody, delmon coates stood up and i want him to know we're very proud of that, reverend delmon coates. let me welcome everybody to our annual breakfast and we are very happy and honored to have all of you with us. this is a very interesting year where we have seen many of the issues that national action network has fought for and have

been battling for coming front and center. whether it is the question of police accountability, whether it's a question of the income gap, when it's a question of now it is documented that 51% of school children are living in homes under the poverty level, these are issues that we have struggled for 24 years in n.a.n.'s history that are front and center. if we are to take dr. king seriously, it is not just about putting the issues out front it's about keeping them out front until we resolved them. [applause] the job of activist, the job of advocacy organizations, the job of civil rights organizations is to put night in places that --

click like--put light in places that forces people to look at the issues. there they go again, sharpton and them want publicity. that's exactly what we want. that's right. [applause] because part of the role of activists is to get your attention. you don't see me on "dancing with the stars." [laughter] you see us dealing with social issues and to draw the attention to those issues. and if you don't do that, people are not going to deal with those issues in the dark. i often tell the story, i learned that, i did not like delmon coates or like boardmember mcmorris go to one of the elaborate educational institutions. i learned that because i grew up in the projects in brooklyn. we had roaches.

i know reverend yearwood comes from bourgeois homes, but we had roaches. [laughter] i remember getting up one night and went in the kitchen and saw all of these roaches all over the table. we had all kinds of roaches, big roaches, little roaches. we had flying roaches, get on the side and fly down. so i ran in the room and got my mice -- sister. i said we got roaches. i keep telling you we have roaches. no we don't. she is half mad and asleep. i dragged her. she went to the kitchen to see these roaches, turned on the light, clear eyed, looked around, no roaches. she said i don't see no roaches. why are you bothering me? i said, no they were here. she is really mad. she go back and lay down, cut the light off. i am sitting up in the room trying to figure this out.

i go back, roaches everywhere. i go get her the second time. she stumbled furious, touched the light on, looks, roaches gone. now she is not speaking to me wanting to fight. goes back and lays down, cut the lights out. i go back and i figure this thing out. as long as the lights were out roaches will have a six-course meal in your kitchen. as soon as you cut the lights on, roaches go. i spent the rest of my life cutting lights on roaches all over this country. [applause] you want to deal with health care, cut the lights on. want to deal with police accountability, cuts the lights on. want to deal with lack of education quality, cut the lights on. our job is to put the lights on where they don't want to go.

and once you do, you're going to get a reaction. my mother raised, born and raised in alabama. i was born and raised in brooklyn. she has taken me down to see her mother every year. she said, let me tell you something, you come from the north. you don't know nothing about the country. i will tell you something you will remember all your life. i said what's that? if you throw a brick at a pile of hogs, the one that hollers is the one you hit. i have learned that we're effective when folks are hollering because we hit them. when you hit policies and you see folk on different sides screaming and hollering, it's because we hit them. did you hear what they said last night, we hit them. i expected them to holler. they will be hollering about this breakfast and what we do the rest of the day. because we're hitting situations

that people don't want hit. i want to bring on our first speaker, but i want to first acknowledge all of our special guests, so i would like everybody to please turn to the person on your right and shake their hands and say thank you for being reverend al's special guest this morning. all right. now, let me acknowledge quickly that i'm very honored and happy to have terry o'neil, head of the national organization of women with us. reverend yearwood, hip-hop coffee and i'm going to be acknowledging people throughout the morning, we're happy to have all of you and particularly from the civil rights community, my

partner and the struggle no matter what it is and that's melanie campbell of the national council. [applause] civil participation and black women's roundtable and so many more. i must acknowledge members of the board of national action network, reverend dellmon coates, aiesha river and tanya lombard from at&t, a real strong board member. [applause] secretary of health and human services burwell to show you , her commitment, she is on her way to philadelphia open

enrollments for the affordable care act closes on february 15. she wanted to be here to speak before and to be part of n.a.n.'s annual breakfast. we're honored to have her as we call it, our preacher for the morning is secretary castro. we have two distinguished members of the president's cabinet. let me also say from the white house, we're very happy to have heather foster. stand up, heather. [applause] she is one of the outstanding people in government who has really demonstrated real leadership and we're very proud. her parents are with us as well this morning. where are your parents? i want her father to know, i want her father to know that this is really your birthday party. [laughter] today is his birthday.

[applause] and aside from the dr. king day, this is heather's daddy's day. i want him to know that. [laughter] we're honored to have you. she has in my judgment showed a real commitment to making sure that one of the most historic progressive moves of this president bared the fruit that it was designed to bear. she oversees 77,000 employees. she is the 22nd secretary of health and human services and aside from all of the talking points janay and them give me, i want you to know that against great odds and against every effort to undermine, secretary

burwell has delivered for the millions of people around this country that depended on this president to keep his commitment and has done so. you cannot execute without having the kind of support staff and mechanisms that will go and do the work. she is not on the front page unless something messes up, but she does the work and makes sure that the vision of this president around providing health care is a reality in the lives of millions of people that wouldn't have it. martin luther king day, if it means anything is serving the unserved and giving security to those that live every day in anxiety and on king day, no one has done that more than our secretary of health and human services, secretary burwell. will you come. [applause]

thank you, reverend sharpton and it's always a bit intimidating to speak in a room of great orators and especially how did i draw speaking right after the reverend. [laughter] i have had the pleasure of knowing the reverend since serving in the clinton administration during my time at wal-mart and have worked with him during my time at the office of m.o.b. and now at h.h.s. and it's a pleasure. i want to come back to something you said. dr. king said the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in time of challenge. that is something that reverend sharpton has done time and time again in terms of standing in times of challenge. [applause] and i also want to acknowledge

my colleagues, julian castro and bring broderick is here as well and heather, brod is leading my brother's keeper effort that i think everyone is familiar with. i really can't think of a better way to celebrate dr. martin luther king jr. than with all of you today. the national action network continues to fight tirelessly for dr. king's dream every day. this room holds the past, the present, and the future of the civil rights struggle. i'm proud to be in some small part today a part of that. when we think of dr. king, many things come to mind, a civil rights legend, a fearless fighter and a man of god. he was and remains one of the most transformative leaders of the 20th century. he influences our lives today so many years later with both his

words and his ideas. i was not born when he delivered his most famous speech and at the time of his tragic death, i was only three years old, but the ideas he talked about and the courage that he acted with inspires so many of us today to live a life of service, to know that the potential of our nation is great even when it's sometimes very hard to see. he showed people of faith like myself how to live out those acts of faith. he showed us how to make the gospels as real as they were when they were written and to make sure that we're working every day to make the beatitudes a reality. dr. king changed the course of the history of our nation forever. we remember him as a servant. that's why we honor today with service and i'll be going to

philadelphia to do an event on service and then an event on the affordable care act so that we honor in terms of what he asked us to do in terms of service. dr. king's mission was big, but his directives, though difficult, were often kind of quite simple like sit quietly and wait to be served. he showed us that the past to -- half to helping men rise from the dark depths was taped by act s as big as selma and as small as a letter. behind the legend of dr. king was a man who simply believed in action. he believed in service and he lived his life accordingly. not all of us have his gift for organizing oration and especially behind this mic, i will recognize that accordingly. but we all can have a servants heart.

that is what this day is to me. a reminder of what it takes to make revolutionary change. the courage to stand up, or sit in, for what is right. faith in the possibility of a better future, at a servants heart. i know there is an abundance of those things in this room here today. we are closer to realizing dr. king's dream, that is because of actions big and small by the national action network and others who continue to keep the faith in a better tomorrow. we have made incredible strides and progress since the days of segregation from voting rights to education, to workplace equality. today's america has undoubtedly changed for the better, and we celebrate that. but our progress must also serve to remind us of how far we have to go.

in a sense, all the issues that we touch at the department of health and human services are in some way about civil rights. after all, our mission is to make sure that every american has the building blocks of a healthy and productive life. our work impacts moms and dads at the kitchen table, when they are figuring out how they are going to take care of their aging parents, or how they are going to make sure their kid is ready for kindergarten. our work is about lifting up americans of all races, of all ages, and all backgrounds. we look at the services that hhs supports -- our nations lingering disparities are clear. african-americans have the lowest life expectancy of any other race in our country. they are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, and 40% more likely to have high blood pressure.

african-american women, for example, are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer, even though they are 10% less likely to be diagnosed. and the statistic that impacts all of that -- african-americans are more likely to be uninsured. than white americans. health inequalities impact our nations potential, from access to education, to the stability of families and communities. whether you are someone who now has access to health insurance on the marketplace, someone who is newly eligible for medicaid or someone who is covered through employer-based care, the affordable care act impact you. and thanks to the affordable care act 7.8 million african-americans with private insurance now have access to expanded preventative services with no cost-sharing. [applause]

that includes screenings from cancer,pap smears and mammograms, well-child visits and flu shots. from october 2013 to june of 2014, 1.7 million african-americans aged 18 to 64 years old gained health insurance coverage. that is a 6.8% drop in the uninsured over that time. in fact in just one year, we've , reduce the number of adults that were uninsured in this nation by 10 million people. these changes are helping people all over this country get the care that they need. these changes mean when a doctor finds a cancerous lung, there is -- one--lump, there is enough time to intervene. they mean a mom will learn to manage her diabetes before threatens her life.

they mean that a dad will be able to afford the prescription that keeps his blood pressure in check. and they are helping families sleep a little easier at night knowing that a sickness or accident won't bankrupt the family. this progress was made possible because people like you all helped us make this a reality. you stood with us when no one thought a bill was going to happen. you stood with us during the first open enrollment. you held events in detroit, los angeles, atlanta, all over this country, he partnered with us -- you partnered with us during faith and african-american weekends of action. you held panels and roundtables, and you spread the word far and wide. i want to thank you for standing with us now, during this open enrollment. you are ambassadors to our communities, and you are the voices that people trust. you are the reason they will go and check, and understand that

they can get affordable care. so, here is what you need to know. we have less than one month left in open enrollment. it ends on february 15. the other thing is -- financial help is available. this can be affordable. 87% of those who are in open enrollment this year, those we have reenrolled, and those who have come to us new are receiving financial help. that is a very important message that we want to make sure that people have. the other thing is -- it is easier than ever. we have focused very hard on the consumer experience, and that is very hard on the consumer experience, and that is making sure that we have a website that is easy to use. for 70% of people coming in new, the application went from 76 screens to 16. for people reenrolled in, it is pre-populated. you don't have to keep typing it in. you put it in last year, check and make sure it is right. we are to make this as easy as possible.

to remind everyone, three ways to do this -- meet the consumer where they are. for some people, they just want to go to the website. healthcare.gov. for some people, they want to talk to someone on the phone. one 800 318 2596, 24/7. you can talk to some of the on the phone. you can walk through it. if you are someone who wants to sitdown down with somebody and do this face-to-face, go to the website, put in your zip code, and find the nearest person who can sit down and have a conversation with you. in the spirit of dr. king, we are asking you to help us again in big ways and in small. host and enrollment event --an enrollment event at your church, or your community. reach out to your partners, ask them to help. use your twitter and social media to spread the word about the february 15 deadline. tell your neighbors, tell your friends. now is the time to close that gap, and we want to help our

neighbors. so that we can see the change that reverend sharpton was talking about. as dr. king said, change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability. but comes through continuous struggle. dr. king's dream is ours now. and that struggle is ours to continue. i want to thank you all for all that you do to keep that dream alive, and to make it a reality. thank you. [applause] >> let's give her another round of applause. [applause] we want to thank secretary burwell for joining us this morning, she is off to philadelphia for enrollment event, we thank her for being here with us and sharing this part of her morning with us. [applause] i'm the executive director of

the national action network, want to thank you all for joining us this morning. we are here for another king day, and each day, we gather to celebrate the life and legacy of dr. martin luther king. national action network is an organization that is inspired by his work. we are continuing in his legacy. annually, we acknowledge people whose lives and work also reflect the principles of dr. king. this year, we are delighted to honor at best the thomas, floyd green, and james reynolds, and others for continuing dr. king's legacy in their own way. we are seeing dr. king in a new light thanks to the feature film "selma. " if you haven't seen it, check it out. we see that he was more than just a dream speech. his work was not done with the 1963 march on washington, or the passing of the civil rights act of 1964. he didn't stop when he received awards and accolades. but he continued to fight for

justice until his death. with that in mind, we want everyone to be like king, and to continue to be change agents in your own way. not just today, but throughout all of your days and throughout your life. i want to draw your attention to the video screens, and show you just how we are continuing to act for change. >> [video clip] >> civil rights did not write a resume, but it made someone read your resume. >> whatever you achieved, you achieved because you were that smart. you got there because some grandma who never saw the inside of a college campus put themselves on the line and alabama, mississippi, to get you up here. [applause]

>> the national action network engages people. we engage people everyday on the ground. we engage our state legislatures, international legislators, in the capitals of cities and in washington, d.c.. we, of course, engage corporate leaders and seek to hold him responsible, and accountable to communities across this country. >> this is our first line of defense in dealing with issues on the ground and creating a grassroots movement to respond issues. our chapters were together with the national staff to ensure the communities are protected against injustices and treated fairly. ♪ >> the national action network has a house of justice. it was dedicated and named by

one of the mentors of reverend sharpton, reverend jesse jackson. we try to live up to the meaning of that name -- the house of justice. every saturday, we hold a community rally that is broadcast throughout the nation, both on internet and on radio. we make sure that people can come there, that are looking for help, they need assistance, that are looking for referrals. we hold a monthly legal might in -- night in order to give people in our community and affordable way to get direction on some of the legal challenges that face them in their communities, all of our chapters duplicate those efforts in many ways. which is how we stay connected to the communities that we serve. we try to know what the needs are within that community, and we try to help people meet those needs. >> i'm not asking you to think

about what we have already done, see can be satisfied with our progress. i know this isn't the national satisfaction network, this is the national action network. [laughter] but i am asking you to draw inspiration from the facts that we know change is possible. i'm living testament that change is possible. [applause] we know we have the ability to put our shoulder to the wheel of history and steer america towards the promise of a better day. we know that we stand on other shoulders, and step-by-step, inch by inch, we make progress. >> one of my primary focuses within the organization is to engage our members on the national level. the organization is still

growing. we have over 1600 now. it's important that our members become active members of the organization, not just supporting us from a distance, but to really become active participants of change. that's what we gear to increase and to promote. >> we operate seven regional offices in new york, washington, dc, atlanta, miami indianapolis, los angeles, detroit. we coordinate the work of our chapters. the goal is to turn demonstration of the legislation. >> the national ashen networks -- action networks provides a voice for the next generation of social change agents. young people across the country advocate for issues addressing social justice, education, youth violence, and conflict resolution. it nurtures young people in gaining skills in various areas,

including leadership training, social networking, media and legislative advocacy, and public speaking. we have a weekly program called the huddle, that allows people to converse in a setting that is informal, safe, and with their peers about issues of relevance in the community. >> i think what makes this the best, what makes us a leading organization is that we believe in the work, we take it seriously, and we do it diligently. ♪ [applause]

>> so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow. i still have a dream. it is a dream deeply rooted in the american dream. i have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed. >> dr. king said somewhere, we must come to see that human progress never rolls on the wheels of inevitability. we emphasize that. never rolls on the wheels of inevitability. he went on to say it comes through tireless efforts, and persistent work of dedicated individuals, who are willing to be coworkers with god. or as my mom would say, doing god's work. that is what all of you are all

about. as you fight for economic justice, racial and gender equality, and trying to stem the tide of new attempts -- new attempts to restrict the right of our people to vote. it's the everyday actions that you inspire, that are going to keep human progress rolling forward, and keep it from sliding back. >> we are here today, because we must ask this nation -- deal with the fact that just like 50 years ago, the state has taken a position to rob the human rights and civil rights of citizens with state right projected laws that this empowers federal law.

we have seen in ferguson missouri, we have seen in staten island, with state grand jury's have suspended the right of due process. and we have come to washington to call on this congress and national governments to do what was done before. we need national legislation and intervention to save us from state grand jury's that save the right to people on tape and you won't bring them to court. [applause] when i saw a black man put his hand on the bible and become president, i'm inspired today what i see young white kids

holding up signs saying black lives matter. i know the media won't show that. i know they will say we only had 500 representing thousands. but i don't care how much you try to discard it, we shall rise again. the people united will never be defeated. because god gave me a new life -- and new light, and i'm going to let it shine. and the shine for michael brown. let it shine on eric garner. god gave me my light, let it shine.

>> national action network continues to bring awareness to local and national civil rights issues around this country. nan had a major part in amplifying issues like standard round, and bring the fight to florida, stop and frisk in new york, and voter rights issues around the country. we have always been a voice for the voiceless. >> when i was down in texas, everyone was celebrating the day the civil rights law was finally passed. remember, there were decades in which people sacrificed and worked hard. change doesn't happen overnight but it happens as long as we don't purposefully give our power away. every obstacle put in our past should remind us of the power we hold in our hand each time we pull that lever or feeling that

oval, or touch that screen, just have to harness that power. we have to create a national network committed to taking action. we could call the national action network. [applause] >> so many of our children are victims of senseless gun violence. and this leader right here stood his ground and stood with the trayvon martin family, and the trayvon martin foundation, and so many other trayvon martins all over the united states. he did it with passion, he did it with commitments, and he was dedicated to our cause. and that is why we are indebted to him for life.

on behalf of accent, and all of us here, we present to you reverend starks and. the icon award. thank you, so much. [applause] >> every day i get up, i have only one wish -- and that is that every morning i wake up that every bigot, every brutal person, every wrong person in this land will say damn, he's up again. [laughter] [applause] >> this gives us a unique ability to support our efforts in communicating to the nation the work of the organization is doing on a daily basis. in a way that few progressive organizations are able to do.

>> we see a new america. we see an america of equality, of justice, of fairness. we march because we are going to bring a new america, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice -- not for some, not for who you choose not for who you like, but for all. we believe in a new america. it's time to march for a new america. it's time to organize for a new america. it's time to register and vote for a new america. we are on our way, we are on our way, we are on our way. [applause] ♪

>> at this time, i would like to bring back to the stage our founder and president, reverend al sharpton. [applause] >> thank you, jenee. she is doing an excellent job as our executive director. [applause] at 1:00, we do our public policy forum with the mayor, and others at our national headquarters. and then, at 3:00 this afternoon, we will be bringing hundreds, where we will be laying a wreath at the site where two new york city policeman were killed brutally

and viciously. tonight, a vigil for eric garner, the chokehold victim. why? because dr. king was about fighting for justice, but he was also about standing against senseless violence. it's important on king day, we send a message, the yes, we want to see justice in specific cases, but that we are not anti-police, we don't hate police. most police are good. they risk their lives everyday. in the spirit of dr. king, we start here with those that have influence. we go to new york with the mayor and others, and then we go to show that we denounce the violence against police. but we have the right to question specific cases. that is what dr. king did, and that is how we are going to spend this day. [applause]

let me acknowledge also, we have been joined by one of the real champions in this country, and a want technology and. he did not want to speak, but i must technology in. -- acknowledge him. he has my brothers keepers initiative, broderick johnson. we are so happy to have you with us. [applause] and also, working on the white house initiative on education excellence for african-americans, a real champion. he works very closely with our sister organization, education for a better america. if i had finished college, he would be working with me, but he deals with the more educated younger side of nan. david john. president and ceo of mmtc.

kim. from the brennan center, nicole austin hillary, one of our partners. [applause] leona scott, the assistant secretary for civil rights at usda. [applause] where is congressman wynn? i saw him. [applause] i'll be glad to have you as well as claudia withers, who is the coo of the naacp. stand up, claudia. [applause] ok, she's over there. you should sit them closer to the mainland. [laughter] glad to have you. i'm honored that one of the leading figures of civil rights in our country, leader of the leadership conference of civil and human rights, brother wade henderson is with us.

[applause] and i mean, he is a pillar in the civil rights community. also, leah from the greater washington dc chapter. give a hand. [applause] let me move in the program. i know that we are going to present awards out, executive director going to help us with that. i can get into new york. i'm so happy and honored that others, that my friend president cox, who was honored last year is with us. as i said for now, is with us. i must say, jim reynolds is a real -- i know the young folk have done the program, but i'm not allowed to do that.

but i have been known not to. follow orders. i'm glad for all four honorees but certainly, i want to say that it is extremely an honor for us to have a -- as our speaker today, young man who is energized this country, when you think of national politics clearly into 2012, everyone was electrified by this young man. but like most men and women that make their mark, they do not become intoxicated with the high, and they do not become depressed with the lows.

one of the signs of knowing whether someone is headed towards a real mark is how they handle high moments and low moments. this young man heralded by media as the next whatever -- said i'm not going to go for the halos, i'm going to continue to work. and he did, as mayor of san antonio, and came on to conquer the continued drive for affordable housing in this country. she mentioned the movie "selma," one of the things about that in the debates in the civil right community, about what was right what was wrong, johnson's role half of the argument is why the older guys names weren't in the movie. but we will leave that for another day. [laughter] heather told me to be nice today. the one of the striking parts is that it opens with dr. king getting a nobel prize. and most people that would have gotten a nobel prize of 35 years old, and on the cover of time magazine's man of the year would

never have gone to selma alabama. he would have said i have achieved it, i have made my name, history is complete. the story of king is with the prize, he went to selma. with the prize, he went to birmingham. most of us go to selma to try and get a prize. i respect this man, because with the national media raising him he said i want to roll up my sleeve and make sure that people in public housing, and people in subsidized housing have a friend in washington. and that is why we are honored that she has come to share with us on king day, in the spirit of dr. king, the secretary of housing and urban development, cooley on castro. -- julian castro. [applause]

>> good morning. thank you for the invitation to be here today, and more importantly for the the advocacy and leadership in your voice. i also want to thank it knowledge my colleagues, who have been who have been fantastic rattling those of us -- corralling those of us in the cabinet and to secretary burwell and heather foster who are here. i want to thank jenny ingram and all of you who were part of the national action network. today is a joyous day, when we gathered to commemorate the legacy of dr. martin luther king. it is a day of reflection about who we are as individuals, and what we stand for as a nation.

and how we can bring dr. king's dream to pass, it's also a day of some sadness, because we lost a true visionary, a brilliant man too soon. it's a day of celebration because his life, his ideas, the brilliant example he left in doers. we can see that every day in the work that you do in your own local communities and that national action network does. but most of all, as other speakers of said, it is a day of action. a time to put into deed the example that he left, and the ideals that he championed.

we gather today at a moment of momentum in america. our economy is growing again, we have seen 11.2 million new jobs over the last 58 months. we have seen the unemployment rate dropped down to 5.6%. the fastest drop in one year since 1984. the numbers tell us we have seen the best economic growth in our country since the late 1990's. we see that in the housing market, with more folks going to work in construction because housing has doubled over the last five years. folks feeling confident because foreclosures have fallen to their lowest level since before the housing crisis. president obama has led this nation to an economic comeback

we also note that there is still tremendous work to be done out there, and that our charge in this year, in 2015 must be one thing above all else. to create opportunity. if you are black, opportunity. if you are white, opportunity. if you are young, opportunity. if you are old, or young at heart, opportunity. if you are rich or poor, or somewhere in the middle, our charge is to create for you opportunity. we call hud the department of opportunity, because 2015 marks 50 years that this department of

housing and urban development has had as its charge the mission of creating a chance for every single american to have a decent and safe place to live in this country. we are going to keep going strong in 2015. just a few days ago in phoenix arizona, the president announced a reduction to mortgage insurance premiums at our fha that has traditionally been the most powerful vehicle for first-time homebuyers and minority homebuyers to get a loan, so they can own a home and have a piece of the american dream. we believe that over the next three years, this is going to

ensure that a quarter of a million more folks of modest means have a chance to own a piece of the american dream. and that over those same three years, up to 2 million folks are going to save $900 annually because of this. at hud, we believe in the intersection of housing and opportunity in people's lives. that is why we are focused on ensuring that, for the 5 million folks who live in public or subsidized housing, if you are a young person, that you want to be getting a great education. if you are a working age person, you should have access to job training. and the information and resources you need to get a decent job. so that you can provide for your family. it's also why we know that we need to take a big picture approach to community revitalization. you see, is not enough to just focus on housing. because what if the neighborhood is not safe?

it's not enough to just focus on housing because what if somebody can't get to work? or what if they don't have a job? or what if they can't make sure that their child is getting a good education, so they can move up in life? we believe in a holistic approach. we also know that in our beautiful nation, the richest nation on earth, there is still far too many americans who don't have a home at all. five years ago, the president did something bold. he was the first president to set a marker, through an initiative called opening doors, they said we would effectively end homelessness in the united states by 2020. since that time, we've seen a 33% reduction in veteran

homelessness, and significant reduction in family and chronic homelessness as well. and every single day, the 8000 employees of hud wake up and go to work in partnership with nonprofits and individuals throughout the united states to ensure that folks can have a home that, in america that has always been the land of opportunity, that folks can continue to rise. on this day, when we celebrate dr. king's call for a colorblind america, and also, one that offers economic opportunity to everyone, matter who you are, or where you come from, i'm proud to join you as we push to create

prosperity for americans everywhere, to commit ourselves to action, to use our time and our talents and our resources to not just do for ourselves, or for our own families, but to do for others as well. it is a wonderful ideal, one that we celebrate today, and that we live out every single day. thank you for doing that. we appreciate it. [applause] >> give another hand to secretary castro. [applause]

i'm going to have our executive director come back as we do the awards. i do want to recognize d.c. council member at large vincent orange, who works with us every year, and is one of the outstanding -- where is he? [applause] and another of our giants in the civil rights community, the irreplaceable, irrepressible barbara onwine of the committee. [applause] as we -- every year we present several awards to people that we feel have shown in their lives the spirit of dr. king.

be like king awards. the staff selects them, and will give them the first award, i will present with them. and then they are kicking me off, they say the older folk have to get off the stage, they mean that now. [laughter] but this brother represents one of the real frontiers that we are yet to conquer, and that is dealing with economic and business in this country. dr. king formed a group called operation breadbasket, which was part of his organization. to receive economic or to fight for economic equity and parity. it's new york chapter, i was the youth director of i was 13 years old.

one year after he was killed. i grew up being given total orientation on our fight for social justice, and legal justice, most equal, our fight for economic justice. no one has personified that and exemplified that more than the winner of the economic justice award. he has worked from the tireless days of washington and chicago to seeing his friend, barack obama, become president of the united states. but on his own rights, what he has done with new capital, opening doors that never had been opened before by a person of color, but performing is not enough to get you in the door, if you embarrass us once you get in. the validation there is that we show that if given the chance, we can perform. and he has never not performed.

which opens the door for us. but he never forgot where he came from. you measure giants not by how tall they stand, but how tall they stand on their own two feet. because i have found in life that a lot of people that i looked up to were standing on ladders, and were really not standing on the ground on their own two feet. this man is tall, we look up to him, that there is no letter under him. these are his two feet, grounded in his community. with his head held high. i'm honored to present our economic justice award to the chairman and chief executive officer of loop capital, james reynolds. [applause]

>> thank you all, so much. it is a privilege for me to be here today to receive this great award from such a great man. and my particular hero, reverend sharpton. particularly on this wonderful day, king day. when i started my business, 17 years ago, i had several missions. one was certainly do have a successful business. because of you don't have a successful business when you start a business, you really are not going to do much else. but then, given that, to stay involved in my community, and to do every single thing i could to make my community proud of any success that i would have, and have had. it is always humbling for me and coming from chicago, i've been around some great leaders. but to be on stage with a man like reverend sharpton, who is

sacrificed so much for so many. so thank you all, i really appreciate this today. thank you so much. [applause] >> before go any further, i know we have a birthday. it is mr. foster's birthday, we want to give them a round of applause for being here on his birthday and celebrate with us. he is the father of heather foster, from the white house. [applause] -- happy birthday to you. the next award is going to be presented is the breaking barriers award. i've heard her name for a while now, and finally had the opportunity to meet her today. but her work obviously precedes her. her reputation at her work has been talked about in this town and beyond the borders of the city. she was confirmed by unanimous consent of the u.s. senate in

december 2010 to be the 14th chair of the equal employment opportunity commission, the eeoc. her term recently ended. we thought no better time to honor her, and to recognize the work she has done with the commission. she has had lots of other awards, including the rue.com hr's most influential by human resource executive online. she was america's leading black woman in public service, and the power 100 of the list of the most influential minority attorneys. so this is not her first time being presented with an award, but obviously, it is very, very deserved. we are honored to have her here today. at this time, i would like to present our breaking barriers award to jaclyn berrien esquire. [applause]

>> she also has a big fan club in the building. [applause] >> i will hold this for you. >> thank you, so much. i'm just thrilled beyond words. one of the byproducts of spending time in brooklyn i think is that you do always have brooklyn in the house. [applause] and i have a hometown crowd, i'm a d.c. native. [applause] i've had the blessing also of working with so, so many people who are here today, the leaders of the civil rights movement. beginning of course, with reverend sharpton, and the national action network's leadership. but so many people who have been a knowledge today, who are my longtime friends and allies. dr. king once said, when evil men plot, good men must plan.

when evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. when evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice. one of the great benefits, i think, of the movie "selma,", a great film that so many of us have had the opportunity to see -- if there's anyone who hasn't, please, do see it. but i think one of the wonderful things it does is it shows that as important as dr. king and the other leaders of the civil rights movement were, and truly, they were important -- there is no movement without the masses. there is no history until we make it. one of the things i always carried with me to my work, and

in my work at the equal employement opportunity commission, was the fact that the commission exists because in 1963, hundreds of thousands of people had the faith to believe that this nation could live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all. but importantly, they married that faith with the action of marching to washington, and marching just a few blocks from here to the national mall, to make sure that they demanded that this nation deliver jobs and freedom, as it promised. the equal implement opportunity commission was created because of the civil rights act of 1964 that was passed in the wake of that great march. and the film reminds us that the

civil rights act of 1965, the voting rights act of 1965 was passed because of those marchers, those brave men and women and children who faced down the police, the fire hoses, the dogs in birmingham, and in selma, and all across the south. we stand here -- i'm able to stand here, everything i have ever been able to achieve is not because of any solitary effort. when i spoke to the staff of the eeoc, i would always say there is no such thing as solitary success as a leader. you only succeed as a leader because of the efforts of all of those you work with every day. so today, i'm grateful that i have this opportunity, i don't deserve this recognition, but what i do know is that i'm grateful, first to god, i'm grateful to my friends and family who enabled me to serve in the eeoc. i can name them all, but i

certainly must acknowledge my first and greatest supporter -- my husband, peter williams, who reminded me this morning that we were engaged at a concert, with stevie wonder singing. as we were working and hoping and working and fighting to see that there would be a martin luther king holiday. so 31 years ago, we were engaged. [applause] to my pastor, here in washington, idc church home, michigan park, christian church. the pastor, marvin owens, and his wife, first lady barbara owens, who are here with me today. to president obama who entrusted me to serve as the chair of the eeoc, and to the administration colleagues, both those who are here today, and those who are not, but who worked alongside me

to enforce the nation's civil right laws. to all of the eeoc's public and private sector, and civil rights and human rights community allies -- allies and stakeholders. and to all past and present eeoc employees, who are represented here today by three very special people and guests, who have come to join me today. they were indispensable during my eeoc service, they weren't -- they were indeed the wind beneath my wings. particularly james price, who recently retired after more than three decades of service in the federal government. and heroic service in the united states army during the vietnam war. thank you all for being here. these men and women, and the more than 2200 men and women i had the privilege of working with at the equal employment

opportunity commission are those who truly deserve the credit for the eeoc's achievements. and i am delighted to stand today, and to accept this award and share this with them today. thank you. [applause] >> she said she wasn't deserving, and i had to tell her, she is definitely deserving. i think when she came up to the applause, proved just that. let's give her another round of applause. [applause] a lot of people know about national action network's activism, specifically when it comes to issues around criminal justice reform, and police misconduct. but we focus on a whole host of issues, including health care. two years ago, we hosted our first-ever health care awards luncheon. that sort of focused on and

brought together the need to pay attention to health inequities that exist in the black community. and obviously, secretary burwell was here, speaking about some of those disparities that exist within our community. one of our great partners for that luncheon was the aetna foundation. when we started taking about this year's awards, we wanted to lift up as part of the king day celebration, we wanted to lift up aetna again. the work that we think about in terms of healthy living is so important to us being able to continue the fight that we talked about. so we chose floyd green -- where is floyd? there you are. the vice president and head of committee relationships of urban marketing for aetna. he is responsible for their philanthropic investment for the brand, and he is the recipient of many professional and civic awards, again, well-deserved

including a presidential meeting with jimmy carter to discuss foreign intimacy policies, and the international global award for excellence and health care marketing. most recently, he was honored by black doctors.org at john hopkins center for health disparities solutions. it is very fitting that we give today's mlk merit award to floyd green the third. [applause] >> good morning. i am deeply honored to receive this award from reverend al sharpton, as well as the national action network. at aetna, in 2000, we went to washington to ask the correct racial and nothing data for our

population. at the time, folks were afraid that the big bad insurance company would use this information for unfair rating and righteous and bias and stereotypes. we said no. in order for people to really understand and get the right information and the right health care, we need to know who people are, where they live. the language they speak, what culture therefrom. they said no. we said we are not going to give it to marketing people. we will only keep it with our case managers. so that all people can get the care they need, and again, folks said no. it wasn't until our chairman went on cnbc, and one of the analyst said to our chairman -- don't you believe it's racist to collect ethnic data on the population, and he said it's racist not to. and so, for years now, we have been using this data to make sure that all people, the matter who they are, will he would this

-- or where they are from, get the information that they can get, that they need to make informed decisions about their health. martin luther king said that one of the greatest forms of inequality is that of health care, and that it is most shocking and inhumane, and we are working diligently to make sure, especially now that people have a in axis, that they get the tools they need to make the right decisions about their health care. the name is personal for me is that martin luther king talked about dreams. what i have noticed across the country, when we look at total health, is our kids and ability to dream. one of the reasons because of that is removal of arts and arts education in the school system. and we must put a crayon back in a child's hand. so they can create rainbows. [applause] that a child may struggle with

mathematics, but yet, can play trumpet and understand fractions. and through that playing the trumpet, that person can go on to be a physicist, or an engineer. that someone may not necessarily know how to do reading comprehension, but they might learn a line in a play, and they might be able to comprehend a character in a role and through that, be able to read and go on and become teachers of this great nation. for the arts are important for the development of society, and the development of a culture. there arts will take us into innovation, and create a new world for us. we have to have our children to believe that they can dream. so that while stem is important, science, technology, engineering, math, i personally believe when a corporation stands behind its steam is the engine that will move us forward. and for those of you who are not

familiar with steam, it's science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. it is that engine that will hopefully, one day, allow all kids, no matter who they are where they live, what culture they speak, allow them to dream of. thank you for this honor. [applause] >> our last award, and certainly not least, is our lifetime achievement award. a lifetime of service award. augustine thomas is a woman i have yet to meet, but have heard a lot about. she was actually a classmate of dr. king. it is very fitting that she would be getting this award.

she knew him before he was the dr. king that we have all come to know and love. she was reelected as the national vice president for women and fair practices in 2000 nine. -- 2009. as the national vice president her mission is to expand the training program. in 1956 she first joined a sge. prior to her election she served 42 years at local and regional levels. she was someone who set in at the greensboro lunch counter. i am sure that we will hear more about her. when i spoke to one of last year shots on ariz, he mentioned to me that miss -- one of last year's on ariz -- honorees, he

mentioned to me that she -- we were delighted to present her with the award. unfortunately, she could not join us, but we do have someone who knows her well to accept the award on her behalf. here we have david cox president of the national also see asian of employees. [applause] >> well, good morning, brothers and sisters. you know that this is a wonderful morning. let's just stop to think about it. barack obama is president of the united states. that is an achievement. now, i just heard from the secretary of housing and urban development and i am telling you, you know, that is an achievement, too. look, dr. king's dream is alive. we also heard from the secretary of health and human services -- a woman, yes, dr. kings --

king's dream is alive. miss augusta was born in 1922. do the math right fast. she had to have a little medical procedure. she is not here because she is elderly and working her but off in the senate in louisville, kentucky, just a few weeks ago. she will be back on her feet and joining us in a few more weeks marching again as she has been marching all of her life. i am so very honored and privileged to receive this award for someone that i admire and someone who has mentored me my entire life, miss augustine -- augusta thomas. now, i asked her, what do you

want me to talk about this morning? what would you say on accepting this award? she has many, many stories. the one she wanted me to share with you this morning, all of her life she has stood up for workers, for union members, for winning fair wages and dignity on the job, as well as equal opportunity. this is what she wanted me to tell you. in 1960 she was living in louisville, kentucky and had six children. the lord was eventually going to bless her with nine. had six children. she saw four young men on tv that were sitting in at the greensboro lunch counter. they needed help at the -- in greensboro.

she was outraged with what was going on. my home state. thank god today august thomas made south carolina a better state with her work and actions. she said that these young men need help and has spent her life helping others. so, she went to her husband and said -- i told him, i was going to go to greensboro and you all, this was 1960. this was before women had arrived in this country. he looked at her and said your father and i will discuss this situation. well, they came back and told her it was too dangerous. you are a mother, you know, you are a wife, you could get hurt and go to jail. you could even be killed.

she said -- i understand all of that, but i am going. well, they talked for a few minutes and said -- ok, we are going to agree to let you go. she said no, stop right there. i told you that i made this decision, i'm going. i don't need my husband and my father telling me whether i can go or not. yes, she was a fighter for women's rights in this country also. so, she went on to greensboro. she sat there, day after day. people spat on her. they hit her. they kicked her. they knocked her off the stool. she kept getting back up. she was arrested twice in the process. as she tells the stories, as she

tells it to me, miss augusta is very light-skinned. she said that they were more vicious, more evil, and more wicked to her because they thought she was white and that she was being a traitor to her race. but you know, miss augusta is not a traitor to any race. augusta thomas is a person that fights for every individual in this country. she told me to end the story today, that she believes in helping anybody who cannot help themselves at the time. and it does not matter whether a person is male or female, black or white, gay or straight, even a democrat or a republican. she said -- if they need help, we should help them, we should stand by them.

when i think of all of the things that augustine thomas has done in her life, i will tell you, brothers and sisters, join with augustine thomas, the dream of martin luther king. encourage someone to get an education, that needs to get a chance in this life. help us child. get the arts back in the school. most of all, go out and get someone to vote today and register them to vote and live the dream forever, for dr. king and for augusta thomas. thank you also much. miss augusta, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this award. [applause] >> now you see not only why we honored miss augusta, but also by president cox be the one to

accept the award. i told him, we will have him back every year now. he has to do the keynote. a preacher at heart. i want to draw your attention back to the idiot screen. -- video screen. king day is something that we all look forward to. it became a law in 1983. it was first it tells you we have had progress, but it is ok while for us to see where all the states have observed the holiday. at this point i want to knowledge that the president created a video and he will tell you more on what you need to do, but he is part of the dream that dr. king talked about. so at this time, i think the video is ready and we can turn

our attention to the screen. [video clip] >> hi, everybody. today we pay tribute to dr. martin luther king jr. we reflect on the lessons of his life and the extraordinary change that begins when ordinary men and women are willing to stand up for the progress they seek. we draw strength from his unbending commitment to justice and his commitment to moral force and belief in nonviolence. just as we celebrate what he achieved, we recommit ourselves to our unfinished work defending the dignity and equality of all people. that is why today we come together in a national dady of -- day of service, because as dr. king once said, life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others? cleaning up parks, visiting hospitals, working at food banks, reading to children. they are doing their part to honor dr. king by heating his

call to serve. to everyone out there volunteering today, thank you. to everyone who wants to join in, it is not too late. just go to www.mlkday.gov to find a project happening right now near you. dr. king is an inspiration to millions around the world, including me. we feel his legacy all around us, in our schools, communities, halls of government, and most importantly in our hearts, how we treat each other, with kindness and respect, binding us together as one american family. that one day all americans would treat each other as brothers and sisters. let's do our part to make that dream real, not just today, but every day. [applause]

>> is everybody having a good time? i told you we would have a good time today. you all having a good time? we are closing in on the end of our program, but we have two very special presentations that we want to have right now. one that really focuses on education. and education, as we all know in this room, education is key. knowledge is power. we also know that that is one of the main reasons why people of our color were shut out of the educational system, because once you learn, you are able to grow. whether it was the little rock nine or frederick douglass, they had to have an education. the national action network is pleased to bring up the executive director of the education for a better america. the mission of the corporation is to build bridges between

policymakers and the classroom by supporting innovation in the delivery of education, creating a dialogue between policymakers, community leaders, educators parents, students, and disseminating information positively to impact our schools. if we are ever going to get out of the hole that we are in, it will come through education and be led by individuals like dr. marcus bright. let's bring him to the stage now. >> thank you. i do bring greetings from education for a better america. we are only two years old, but we have been able to partner with universities and school districts to conduct a myriad of programs for parents and students across the country. for example, this fall we conducted a higher education awareness tour in miami-dade county.

that district went on to bus thousands of those students to the polls to vote early october 27 and october 28, 2014 -- in the 2004 election. dr. king, the man that we celebrate today, once posed the question, what good does it do a man to have access to an integrated lunch counter if you cannot afford to buy his wife's dinner? he was calling for what so many have been working for this room, access and equity. we want an equitable way we can raise our families on. [applause] david johns is here with his teach the babies movement, has been a critical call for action. to early childhood education of a high-quality nature. we can assist in that movement

by making sure that those programs are implemented in an equitable fashion and by encouraging parents to teach their babies to read, talk, and sing at least 30 minutes per day, to cultivate brain development. ultimately, civil rights activism like that must be complemented by policy prescriptions from legislators and from collaboration from service providers, with all of us working together can accomplish more than the best of us working alone. as we seek to move from demonstration the legislation, we cannot forget preparation because after the doors of opportunity are opened for access, we must make sure that we have the skills to walk through it. unfortunately, due to

breakdowns, many of our young people are not prepared and that is on us. let's renew access to equity, it equals a better america. access plus equity equals a more perfect union. with access and equity, we can truly be a nation with liberty and justice for all. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. for my favorite part of the program, this is the part where we talk about what next, because as we look out at the fights that have taken place, it was always the younger people who helped to lead these fight in the future. it was those that led the fights in the past. it should be no different today. when you take the young people and ask the question, what is wrong with the youth of today?

just look at what is right with the youth of today. -- you saw the video. who was on the front lines behind reverend sharpton and side by side with him? who was there when president obama needed those people to get the word out about the campaign to win in 2008? who was the one out there that made sure that the word got out? it was those young people, tweeting, twitting, we didn't even know what they were doing on those things, but they turned our people out. today we have a president, an organization, a health plan. so to talk about what the use is -- what the youth is doing, please bring up rihanna patterson, who will tell us what the youth have in store next. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. my name is brianna patterson and i am the northeast regional

director for the national action network. i am so excited to be here this morning to bring you remarks from the perspective of the millennial generation. first i would like to say congratulations to all of our honorees this morning and your dedication to be like king and continue to be like king. i would like to thank reverend sharpton for his -- and his staff -- for hosting this annual event to honor those who are doing the work and making sure that we are trying and striving to be more like king. i also want to thank reverend sharpton for giving myself and other millennial generation leaders the platform, his mentorship, and his shoulders to stand on. after seeing the film "selma" last year, i realize that dr. king understood the importance of bridging the gap between old and the new. and then a young john lewis

understood the need for strategic planning. the two of them were the links that bridged both generations together. being that dr. king and reverend sharpton were both young when they started, i feel that my message to young people and to all americans is we have to study dr. king's character and his implementation in order to reach greater heights. we have to understand that in order to make the movement progress we must come together and get out of the mentality that we can do it alone, because dr. king knew that it would take more than just him to make this movement progress. i also want to leave you with this note -- we are going to have to come together in order to make the world a better place.

so i leave you with this scripture that has played a role in my life and, i am sure, everyone knows it -- a house divided against itself cannot stand, let's come together in peace and in equality. thank you. [applause] >> i am very proud of her. you did a great job, brianna. [applause] at this time, we would like to thank our sponsors for helping us to put on this event year. -- this event every year. we are honored to have lots of sponsors who give us their support. and first is the american federation of government employees. next is comcast. macy's.

sciu 1199. next we have ge and luke capital. 32 bj. bet networks. aetna. jackson lewis. i would also like to knowledge -- to acknowledge that we have the honorable judge anna rigsby here with us. thank you for joining us. i know you have had such a wonderful time. i feel like i should bring jade --j david back. yes, he will do it. but we will say that for next year. i wanted to thank the d.c. bureau staff for putting on this event. it has been a long week, but

there is lots more to come. we have a long road ahead. thank you for joining us this morning. we know that it was early and we look forward to seeing you again at some of our future events. please check out our website for more information, as well as our annual convention taking place april 8 through 11 in new york city, we hope that you join us for that. have a great morning. remember, today is a day on, not a day off. [applause] >> president obama, mrs. obama and his daughter melia took place -- appeared in an event to honor martin to king junior.

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[indiscernible] >> the heritage foundation hosts a discussion on judicial elections and campaign finance

laws tuesday as the supreme court argues a case about whether candidates can be barred from soliciting campaign funds. later, the european union's high representative for foreign policy is in washington to talk about foreign-policy priorities and the recent her -- and the recent terror attacks in paris. the house and gavels in tuesday at noon eastern for general speeches. at 2:00 p.m., members will consider a resolution condemning the recent attacks in paris. no votes are scheduled, but they are expected to reconvene in the late afternoon. the senate will convene at 10:00

a.m. eastern. they will debate the keystone xl proposal. you can watch the house live on c-span and the senate live on c-span. tuesday night, president obama delivers his state of the union address. live coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. eastern time, including the president's speech, the response by iowa senator joni ernst, and your reactions over the phone. the state of the union address live on c-span, c-span2, c-span radio, and c-span.org. following a two-year study, the u.s. justice department released a report about the cleveland police department. it was part of a discussion at

the city club of cleveland focusing on racism and the impact on communities. this is one hour. >> good afternoon, and welcome to the city club of cleveland. i am a junior at hawkins school. i am a proud member of the city club's youth forum council. thank you very much for coming to see our panelists today. the goal of the council is identical to the city club. it is to host conversations, debates, and discussions that empower us to further understand the world around us and the people that comprise it. i am pleased to introduce our forum entitled "a conversation on race". poet langston hughes wrote in his piece "democracy" that "freedom is a strong seed planted in a great need. i live here too, i want freedom just as

you." in many ways freedom has been granted to races of people subjected to oppression throughout our nation's history. but there is a difference between freedom and liberty. freedom being a state of being that of being able to make decisions without external control perhaps being guaranteed by government. liberty can be different. it is freedom granted by society and the world around us. in light of the recent deaths of michael brown and others we wonder how far we have come. many racist laws have been removed from the books, what liberties are afforded to minorities in our communities and our country. what today's discussion does is seeks to answer questions regarding race in america.

joining us is shakira diaz. she has worked on policy campaigns regarding political activism, reproductive health care access and getting -- and gang initiatives. next, andres gonzalez, cleveland chief of police, has previously joined us as a panel member here. jonathan c. gordon teaches legal analysis and writing. he was an inaugural mentor working with youth from east cleveland. he was a trial attorney handling cases involving racial discrimination. bashir jones is a political

activist, writer, and poet who hosts a variety of radio shows in the cleveland area. during the 2012 presidential campaign he was a regional field director for organizing for america. the moderator for today's forum is anthony price from shaw high school. [applause] >> thank you and good afternoon. i am a a youth forum council member here at the city club. i want to thank you all for coming out to the special forum. we also have a second forum on the 29th which you will hear called "the cleveland renaissance." that should be good as well. i just want to thank all of our panelists.

i want to thank you guys for taking the time to come and talk about this topic. [applause] so when you hear the word race what comes to mind, and how has that impacted you personally throughout your life? anyone can start. >> first, i am thankful to be here to see so many wonderful faces and for you all to put this event on. you are moderating. can i be truthful? if i lie, it may hurt. if we have a conversation about race, and i look in the room and i see majority african-american, that is a problem. because we have to bring to the table blacks, whites, latinos, asians, all groups of people to

have this discussion. but when we're having the discussion with those who are receiving the most oppression, who are receiving the hurt more than any other group, then we are not having the full conversation or full dialogue. we have to ask those who are from other schools across northeast ohio and have an equal conversation. what we are doing right now is just talking to the people who are being brutalized. we know, we understand the pain because we deal with it every single day. recently the u.s. department of justice came out with a study that showed that the cleveland police department engages in excessive force. now many of us didn't need no department of justice to come out with a study to tell us that the police department has been excessive. because we have been dealing

with this on a day-to-day basis. so i appreciate the conversation, and i hope and pray that we all can learn. i always appreciate city club, but for future references, we have to have an array of different people in order to have a true conversation. >> so with regard to what i think of when i hear the word race, i feel there is another word that needs to come with it, and that is racism. in order to really evaluate and to change structural racism, we have to talk about race and how it manifests itself in different systems. in many ways, while we do not have laws and policies or legislation that specifically outline ways to marginalize specific groups of people as we did in the past, what we do have today are policies and legislation that are specifically enforced in a way

that impacts traditionally marginalized people. i will give you an example. there were laws at one point in this country that prevented black people, negroes, people of african descent, from standing outside. you're not going to find those laws anymore. those laws do not exist. however, with this country being still very segregated, cleveland being the fifth most segregated city in the nation, laws are often enforced in black communities. who lives in black communities? black people. and everyone who raised their hands. [laughter] i call that the scenic route to racism. you can get the same outcome even if you are not explicitly articulating that. when i talk about race, i also recognize that we have to talk

about racism. >> anybody else? >> when i think of race, of course, i think about differences, i think about diversity, i think about different backgrounds, different experiences. and there is a word that i learned when i was young. it is called paradigm. the best way for me to describe paradigm is looking at other people or trying to understand other people through their glasses, through their lenses. what i try to do in my role as chief of police, what i tried to do is impress upon my staff and those men and women who go out every day to provide a service to be accepting of those diversities, of those different cultures. because we should not be

treating everyone the same. however, everyone has a right to be treated equal under the law. and so when i think about race that's what i am thinking about. also, i am also thinking about myself, my family, my heritage and where i come from. because it is no secret that if it were not for equal opportunity, i would not be here representing my career, my profession as police chief being the first hispanic police chief in cuyahoga county. race is very important something we should not take lightly, but something that needs to be respected, appreciated, and respected. -- and accepted. >> i cannot speak as an african-american, but i am acutely aware of our society

that discrimination still exists. i think there are still many people who think we are in a post-racial world where it does not exist and that the law does treat people equally. i do not think that is the reality. i think even well-intentioned people may not be aware. i am not a social scientist either but there are studies that detail sending out people with identical resumes but perhaps a name that is more typically african-american and another name that is more typically white. and a greater percentage of the white resumes even with identical information will get callbacks or offers, job offers. a recent study about cell phones being sold on ebay. in the pictures you could see a black hand in some pictures

versus a white hand. purchases were made from the person holding the same cell phone but with a white hand. there are all sorts of other social science tests that have come up with similar results. it is really shocking the percentage differences in some of those. we have to understand that the police acting in inner-city communities that are predominately african-american police are human. they have implicit biases, too. even if there is equality supposedly under the law, some people have biases that come out in different ways. it could be great discretion especially when we're talking about petty crimes, stealing cigarettes, jaywalking, selling

cigarettes. there's a great deal of discretion as to how people are going to be treated in those circumstances. we have to have better rules and policies that prevent the abuse of that discretion and abuse of treatment of people of color. >> where do you think, since we're talking about race, there are many stipulations as far as the word race. it is a touchy word when we talk about race. where do you think that in order to have a greater understanding of accepting race, where do you think it starts? in the schools, at home, where does it start? >> it starts, continues, and has to persist throughout society. it has to involve conversations that happen at home. it has to involve these great systems whether it