YOUTH FORUM

Message to NYC Students: "You are the solution!"

Public Servants Urge Forum Audience to Be Involved in Community and Education

"You are the solution" was a central theme at the Society's March 27 New York City "African Americans in Public Service" Youth Forum.

National, state, and local officials and students from sixteen high schools, representing all five city boroughs, engaged in a lively dialogue focusing on getting involved in the local community, social justice and equality of opportunities, consensus building, and education. Congressman Louis Stokes (D-OH) made the point most succinctly: "You have to live in a community. You are part of the political structure of this country. The more involvement you have, the more you have to say about who controls your life."

The New York forum offered young people the opportunity to listen and discuss important issues with ten community leaders. Following Society president Ronald a. Sarasin's welcoming remarks, C. Virginia Fields, Manhatten Borough President, delivered the keynote address, which drew into perspective recent events in the city involving the police and related those issues to the broader topics that the panelists would discuss. She emphasized the need to build on consensus to achieve progress on social issues. Bill Perkins of the 9th District served as moderator for the program and also addressed questions from students throughout the day.

Former Congressman and Society board member Stokes and Geoffrey Eaton, Chief of Staff for Philip Reed of the City's 8th District, served on the first session. They offered students different insights and life experiences that brought them into public service and the importance of becoming involved in public life. Students asked about ways to deal with the lack of resources and overcrowding at their schools. The panelists encouraged students to participate in voter registration drives to enable people to exercise their rights and responsibilities.

Councilman and majority leader, Archie Spigner, took Stokes' place during the second session. Fellow Councilmembers Tracy Boyland and Annette Robinson and Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) joined the last panel before lunch. During these two sessions, students focused on the questions of equality and how to gain a voice in public affairs. To create that voice, the panelists exhorted the students to register, get others to register, and then vote. They also described the real art of representative democracy in that leaders have to use the art of persuasion. Congressman Meeks emphasized that he often was required to reach out to others with different points of view in order to gain their support for legislation helpful to his constitutents.

After lunch, New York Board of Regent members Eleanor Powell and Dr. Ena Farley joined Perkins and Eaton for the concluding session of the Forum. Students and panelists discussed a wide range of educational issues including quality and effectiveness of state testing programs, equitable distribution of limited financial resources, and the need for more teachers to fill future vacancies.

While the Forum was scheduled to end at 1:30 p.m., the dedicated panelists stayed an extra 30 minutes so that everyone's questions were answered.

The Forum was a success for all concerned. Teachers, students, and panelists expressed their thanks to the Society for this series of educational outreach programs. Time Warner and the Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc., generously provided the funds for developing the Forum. Time Warner deserves special thanks for furnishing the room adnall the support services for the Society.