Alright, Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for joining us tonight for our special town hall with no justice. No peace. We have some great guests for joining all the way from uh California. One of those come to join us. so we appreciate all of you being on board. Um I just wanna say that you know the events that we've learned about today just realize why our work here at no justice. No peace is so incredibly important, making sure that we're fighting for voting rights. So that we're fighting for criminal justice reform, equity and education and economics, and most importantly, making sure that as we move forward as a nation, we recognize everyone's humanity and that we decide that no human life is expendable under any costs. So let me introduce to you to our three great panels that we have here this evening. First we have state Representative Ross Wilburn. uh who joins us from up in Ames uh close personal friend. And I also love his barber by the way uh we also have joining us all the way from San Francisco Doctor Amos C Brown uh the president of the NAACP and a community leader out there. Thank you for joining us here and in the Great State of Iowa and then also Bonnie Daphne West Des Moines School Board member and community leader, and also one of the leaders and strong voices on our mayor's pledge Task force that I have had the pleasure of working with her on uh here in. So thank you all for joining us this evening. Thank you for all of our guests for this great speakers and uh I'll kind of start of the questions by going first to you. Ross uh then the you doctor Brown and then finally to the wonderful Lonnie Daphne and the first question that I have for you. folks is you know, obviously we have an election coming up so one of the most important things we have is voting at this time and making sure that we encourage people to vote and then we encourage. Volunteers to help people get their votes turned in, so I'd like to ask you all what first inspired you to vote and then what inspired you to get involved in the political process, whether it be as an official running for office yourself or as an activist, you know being involved in the community and we're also first turn to you Representative Wilburn and let us know what you think well. Thanks Al and I wanna thank uh my other uh co. Here at speakers for joining in and anyone for tuning in and thank you for no justice, no peace in the first place. I think uh just the goals that you outlined are critical uh for sustainable change to happen as well as to validate all the efforts uh for a healthy community which we're all striving for. I've there's a notion about voting and paying attention to political office. My parents inspired that by having discussions with me during elections when I was growing up, I was born in Illinois, Galesburg Illinois and uh the earliest uh lecture political event. I can remember is actually Watergate uh involving um uh President Nixon former President Nixon but directly to get involved with voting at one of my mentors uh doctor Rahim was uh a county organizer. For uh the Reverend Jesse Jackson's and the first time he ran for president and she reached out and extended the invitation for me to get involved in the campaign. and so that was actually my first opportunity to caucus So really, it was just someone a mentor reaching out and saying, here's how you can get involved, which is something that I try to continue to emulate. I am a social worker by profession by training. I'm not uh doing counseling anymore these days at least uh uh formally but. That notion of community organizing and trying to impact systems that influence communities is something that's just part of my uh professional make up and that really is what I was a youth worker for 10 years, and that was what inspired me to run for political office, which was actually city council. I've I ended up being a city council member for 12 years and Iowa City and as mayor the first African American mayor there and then here in uh in uh when there was an opening on the. Legislature a special election some people in the community just invited me to encourage me to try and put my name in there and what a special nominating convention and then get elected and I'm up for reelection. That's how it all happened. I'm trying to remember the third question to ask well um just what kind of motivates you to stay and involved in the process. What motivates me really goes back to just that notion that uh what happens in the political realm. uh what laws are impact. People in negative or positive ways because they do both and we wanna make sure that we can have influence we can have a say starting with our vote and trying to influence those who are running for office or to try and run for office ourselves to start at the local level to have a positive impact for all of us in our case and all Iowans and then right on up um you know through state and federal office that's tremendous. We thank you for serving the state of Iowa in two different uh territories you know being in first Hawkeye country in Cyclone country would ask you where your loyalty is lie, but uh we don't wanna do that with them elected official, but the turn to doctor Brown and then to our great Lonely Daphne but uh doctor Brown what first motivated you to vote and then to be an activist activist and motivates you today, sir. Doctor Brown Can you hear me sir? Think it might be having a couple of technical difficulties there with Doctor Brown, but uh Lonnie if you can hear me, you know I'll post the same question to you. I know that you're very active here and you've done a tremendous amount you know for our community and I know there's a lot writing on your head right now the school board, but uh tell us what first got you inspired to vote and then to run for office and uh what inspires you to keep involved today? Yeah. Thanks for that question and thanks for the invite. uh this evening, you know what I would say is I can mirror uh representative Wilburn experience that. My grandmother and my mother uh it was instilled I remember actually as a younger person not able to vote um being a part of caucuses as well as standing in long lines waiting for them to vote so um seeing it in action and then, of course at you know the age in which you're able to be encouragement that uh the the reminder of of the significance of the vote and and being active so that was instilled. On um, you know and why I would say getting involved and staying involved similarly in nature, both mother and grandmother were very active in the community and in the schools and so for me as it relates to you know why running for an elective office um with that comes a lot of responsibility but knowing that um you know the work that I've already been doing in the community working a lot with mentoring and the school board was a natural. For me um but also because my children have gone through this whole district in which I sit on now and again just looking at representation in the inequality there, but also knowing that um you know in 2019 being the first African-American elected to the West Des Moines School board, you know thinking about in 2019, We're still experiencing first and so that's the driver of being active and being a voice um and being out there um and bringing up. In the community um alongside of me behind me, whatever it might be um because at some point in time, you know there needs to be definitely different seats at the table afforded so those voices and those issues um that we experience that are you know significant to uh communities of color or you know again for me as an African American female. Um there wasn't a voice. it was missing and so that driving force is there um, but then two you know thinking about all the other work. It does matter that our voices are heard and that we have a seat at the table when shaping policy um when again talking to our local elected officials and and what it is that we want um being that active voice uh because if we wait for somebody else to do it um more than likely, it's not gonna get done so that that is the motivator. Thanks um I had to drop off for a second, he was having a technical issue and so um I'm pinch hitting here for a moment um while we make sure that all can hop back in there, mister Rumble are you get there? Yes, sir. Technology is great when it works folks and doctor Brown. Can you hear me? sir? Yes, I gave you very well. Alright uh well. II. Do I am sorry that uh you know this last part of your answer, but I heard one of the most important things for me personally was that you know you have a mom and a grandmother got you involved thing that happened to me? Uh I have an 83 year-old mother who pretty much dragged me by my ear outside of the house to go caucus and I'm still active. But uh yeah Doctor Brown. I'd like to post the same question to you is that you know what first inspired you to vote sir um and what inspired you to get involved in the political process in the first place and what inspires you to stay involved yet today. That inspired me was that unfortunately, my native state of Mississippi white folks didn't want us to vote. They murdered us to keep us from voting for the tender age of. 14 years old, I remember that on May the seventh 1955 Reverend George Washington Lee The Mississippi Delta to be exact in the city of Bell on it. Was murdered by Klux Klan members on a Saturday night on his way home, Why was he murdered because he refused to take his name his wife's name and members of his congregation of the boating list of Humps County Mississippi. And then I'm out of the thirteenth 1955 Lamar Smith a World War two veteran on his way to deliver some absentee ballots at the courthouse in Brookhaven, Mississippi again white races and Klan members at close range shot him down on the lawn of the courthouse. Then on August 28, 1955. Picked up a jet magazine and saw that middle head of Emmett till. Why did it happen? it goes to a white man lied on him, He said that he whistle at a white woman. I say these three instances is to say in my early childhood experience. I knew that white folks were against us. They want us to exist, definitely want us to vote. And I made sure that through my tooth that I received from Meghan, I would never navigate my responsibility to do something that white folks didn't want me to do and that was to be seen to be respected as a man and to be a part of the political process in order that I might work to do. My destiny and the quality of life that I would receive. All of my members of the family. And thank you Doctor Brown. um those are important words you know many of us have thoughtful so very long for equity in our society, whether it be in many different areas and that fight is still continue today, but a lot of great youth out there, They're leading the charge and then you know a lot of us uh great guys like me trying to still keep up the fight ourselves, but you know one of the things I'd like to say, is that when or I'd like to ask, is that when it comes to our average. For um uh civil rights, I'm told me about how your experiences with the movement for civil rights advocacy are related to criminal justice issues and economic policy. You know right now, I know one of the things that um Lonnie and I have been working on very hard with the West Des Moines Mayor's Task Force. It's on. so I guess the thing that I'd really like to ask. is you know given what we've seen today We've all discovered in the news. The terrible incident that happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, What sorts of changes do you believe are necessary in our policing in order to prevent such further incidents or what sorts of changes do we need when it comes to behavior towards black people here in the United States and L I'll start with you uh as one of my fellow members of the task force um so maybe we can talk a little bit about what we've discussed and what you feel is important for us to move forward in this issue. Yeah. Thank you. Obviously very timely with what what happened you know in the last couple of days cuz we also had an incident in Louisiana as well. So you know I think what needs to happen is similar to what's happening you know in the West Des Moines community that there really is an open dialogue of reviewing policies reviewing practices um getting to know you know perspective of where you're coming from and you know. Those things from a community that those that are policing um and or you know, setting policy et cetera, They don't have that lens. They don't have that perspective and so you know things were set up and what typically happens is while you know a policy gets updated, it's updated by the same individuals who are enforcing the policy and so if they're never is another voice in other lands. a check in by someone else um. It's just carrying over the same bad policy or the same bad practices and while you know certainly, you know everybody has the policies and you can tell you know we have a um use of force policy et cetera there is there an equitable training around unconscious bias is there equitable training around de escalation Is there equitable training around you know not being militarized um because. And you know when we're thinking about what and how we need to use our, you know our police the police force individuals in our communities. We certainly need them um and they're certainly is a partnership that's necessary to happen there, but I think it's gone so much so that um it's us versus them and it can't be an us versus them. uh we're all in the same community living together working together operating together and so if the mental. US versus them we are going to see many more people of color um those are black and brown um unnecessarily brutalized because the perception is just that it's us versus them. Um there isn't that community um that needs to be established and so you know what I would love to see is just that open in the conversation open the dialogue. Let people who view policies and practices be open to questions uh be open. You know feedback and potential criticism because in the end um those that are being disenfranchised by the practices and policies at hand, certainly should have a say in what's happening um because it's happening to them. So that's what I would share. Thank you very much Doctor Brown you don't get the right policies. Do you have the right policy makers and you get the right policy makers by voting the right people in. Doctor King once said he brought us the freedom and dignity to the voting booth and unfortunately here in America we have about six 7000000 Americans to help people who are not registered to vote. And I hope that black people. Will get the understanding that he or she would be free to strike the first vote I throw it's our responsibility exercise that right even though I said earlier, those are the majority of calls that don't want us to participate why because they're not acting basically in our best interest. I'm just saying in the history that has been built out to us but not only changes when people uh threatened by voting block and they start singing a different tune, but we have obligated our responsibility too much and we pay in to the intimidation and the voters oppression. That's. From a racist evil. By apology, Yeah and being in like I said, we have the voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 that there have been those who have been working and struggling mightily They increased voter suppression and I'm glad that you brought that up. Doctor Brown Thank you Representative Wilburn. um what do you feel as far as policies? or you know what can we do in the community to help make sure that you know the tragic incidents like we've seen far too many times affecting our community? What needs to happen in order to uh create a better day as. Forward in our society. I think doctor Brown and both touched on some critical issues and I have to say it it was hard as a doctor, Brown was kinda describing what were those three incidents in history that got him involved and motivated. it. It's hard to to listen to that and not think about Brianna Taylor and George Floyd and uh and mister Blake. Up near Kenosha and uh to to you know not feel that anguish, but also to start thinking Okay. What's next? I know that we're having to do this again historically, but what do we need to do next and you know part of it does come down to policy whether it's law and or who's making the law and so we do need to get out to vote. 2016 elections I think the African-American voting numbers nationally alone was about a 7% drop from the previous presidential election. I believe, and that's about 750000 people. I mean that's that's the difference in an election right there so every single vote counts. And through the law, you know like we did and I legislature with the um you know towards a more perfect union bill banning choke holds except the extreme circumstance mandating uh training for law enforcement annually, enabling the attorney general to conduct an investigation against law enforcement. They're committed to crime as well as not being able to hire someone if they have. A history that they were found to have uh you know broken the law as well as if they quit before uh you know Chargers could be fired or that they were fired before so you know those are important. There's some other things that need to continue, but you know those things are related to the law and that's important. but there's also mindset which gets at not being bystander and. There are a lot of different avenues that we can not be bystanders, not everybody needs to get out and protest. Support those who are going out to protest talking to your neighbors talking to your friends and family, not letting a uh prejudicial racist comment go without the question and speaking of questions just the mindset that when a horrific action happens like it did up in Wisconsin, we have to. Get and talking to our friends, families and neighbors and communities to get out of the mindset that well law enforcement was involved. someone must have done something wrong. We can't even ask the question what happened where were they following the law where they following legal procedure? uh if we can't make it okay to just ask the question, then there's no way that we can improve uh behavior. There's no way that we can reinforce the uh uh you know law enforcement offers who are doing the right things who are keeping communities safe. so that's part of mindset and that starts with conversations like we're having here tonight it starts with conversations um uh even just you know you may not be comfortable confronting someone but just asking the question uh when they see something or someone makes a comment is that right? What? What in your life has led you to believe that is okay uh so that that's part of the shift that we need to make to start to get at this and this is just criminal justice. We also have to open our self to the realization that they're underlying conditions to all of this and you know that gets to the part of it is the economic question that you're talking about but also some of the health issues you know that uh that I had brought up if if we can start addressing those conditions too, then that all helps. Build community as opposed to create conditions for tragedy to happen, you know the mindset is you know a very important thing is you know as we've talked about there could be policies and that could be laws in place. But how do we address that mindset? So doctor Brown? I would turn to you sir, you know when it you know all of us know about individuals like you know George Washington, You know the founder of our country, they know about the Wright brothers who invented the airplane. Henry Ford, who invented the car, but you know. We seem to be holy ignorant on you know the black community. it's contributions to our country. so how would you like to see our education or our culture develops so the people can see value in the black community and the contributions that we have made to this great nation that should be first of all. Our families African-American History Week every week and not once a year a month secondly in the school from K through twelve. African-American history should be woven into the curriculum. And all persons ethnicity it should be. Acknowledge and studied that's why we must begin. I have a personal copy That's at the Smithsonian. In Washington our new museum the oldest sister of the race that was not bitten by Carter G Woodson at a misstatement of history First black historian in this nation like Baptist preacher George Washington Williams, who when he was pastor of the historic Union Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio back. 1879 and to finish that work, I got a copy of the original publication from my father's bookshelf in Jackson, Mississippi. We must do like the Jewish community does it teaches history of the community every week at the feast of the Passover, but we would deny. Our history by the slaves in anyone's talking our language from the Alaska so the system by design sought to keep us from being aware of our history and I think that's where we should focus our attention and I thank God that I got that book that was published in. All of my father's book uh my children always remind me. That's why how I always say big deeds about iconic leaders who made great contributions to the development of Western civilization. Absolutely, you're you're definitely speaking my language, Sir. I was a history major at Drake University. Go Bulldogs. I'll just find my but uh you know I think that is vastly important, you know um uh um Lonnie for yourself being part of the school board. You know somebody once told me that if you don't value my culture, how are you gonna value me as an individual? So as a school board member? what sort of things do you think that can happen in order to teach more value in the black community and it's contributions. History of this country, Yeah and I you know for Doctor Brown. Thank you for sharing that um that book uh one I would say it's actually just being honest. There is a level of honesty that's needed about what the history actually is and the contributions are um there are so much that has um you know demystifying myths or just the acknowledgement of that the day-to-day the way in which. There's so many things that um black and African Americans have invented created etcetera that you are utilizing that they're just isn't that honesty. There isn't that acknowledgement you know, certainly representation matters and so while we you know think about curriculum and the the history being woven in um it isn't just you know it shouldn't be that it's during just black history month. um it is definitely needed to be a part of the curriculum period. Well that's in requires lots of rewrite. Requires lots of honesty um that also requires that there's representations so we need more teachers of color um that are confident and can share that knowledge and that experience um as they teach that curriculum because that is real experience. that's real knowledge. um that's where the lack of honesty sometimes happens because again, I don't share that culture. I don't share that experience yet I'm trying to teach uh curriculum about something. Nothing about and so we definitely need more teachers more educators more administrators um that look like the communities that we're serving in those districts um and especially you know in West Des Moines because if we're going to be honest and we're gonna rewrite curriculum and we're gonna teach it. They're definitely has to be raised voices that can add more detail to that more commentary again and more honesty. What really happened um in order for that to be successful, but you know as it relates to education. Yeah, it definitely has to happen early has to happen often and again there does have to be a level of honesty that right now, you know with all that's going on current climate. um it's uncomfortable and so the leaning into discomfort is really necessary, especially now more than ever uh because there is a lot to celebrate a lot to acknowledge um a lot to give credit to um from the. African-American community um and again, it's our you know as we think about the founding of this nation and you know and while there's lots of good there, there's bad with that and that level that Litmus test of honesty really has to happen for us to tell our true history of this country. Absolutely, I agree 100% it's it's gotta be woven into the curriculum and it's gonna be tough, You know um by teachers, How can I find black heroes if there are none in my classrooms were done in my schools? Ross, you know you have been involved in two different college towns here in the state of Iowa and Iowa City and in Ames, and I've been able to you know uh see and kinda feel the sorts of attitudes that there are on campus. You know what do you think can be done further? You know we do have to start early. But you know as people move into secondary education, what more progress can be made there in order to really teach that value to help people understand that history and and and to know that particular culture. Each of the State universities I believe offers uh some courses where they call it uh African studies, Black studies African American studies and so you know there there are classes that are available at Iowa State University. There's a require there's certain requirements that all students undergrad will have to take. I also like to um you know talk about some of the multicultural organizations that uh that they go by different names in each of the institutions and other colleges. Around the state, but you know those types of cultural activities uh given an opportunity uh you know culture isn't always about food you need to go further and further but uh cultural activities given an opportunity to at least begin to help people get to know each other if the first conversation we are having is a hard issue. Uh you know sometimes that uh that can be. Barrier to um on on both sides both cultures to further exploration or build trust, but even going back to high school, junior high and younger ages, I think you know not just relying on the schools to provide that education we are surrounded by living history and with my my my children or adults now, but. With them and some of their peers, I used to go to the elementary schools junior highs and share my family genealogy so just getting to spend time knowing who we are and finding out who's in our family, you know everyone in our family may not have um you know invented um the three light traffic light or other inventions, but you know you may you may find there's value in knowing who you are and where you came from and your family history as it turns out. You know my great great grandfather wasn't the what was then known as the colored troops in the civil war on the union side um and just some information about him uh by interviewing some family members and um through doing some of that genealogy work, I discovered that my I'm a first cousin twice removed the pajama in Eugene gas and he uh was a classical music pianist and performed. Carnegie Hall was one of the among the first to perform at Carnegie Hall but those types of stories I think um and there's gonna be some gaps. I mean you know in in our in our history, but at least it begins to put in young people's minds of something that happened before then, you know they don't have that experience to know and so I think it helps to create an opportunity for um the history that they hear about at school and read about it. Uh it's not just something that's out there. There's something that you can find out about yourself in your own family. And thank you Representative World War Yes doctor Brown I would like to have going back to George Washington Williams. This man also attended Howard University and Howard was president. He fought in the Union Army, the general grant and after the civil war was over, he went down to Mexico and fought with the against Mac Miller. And he was one of the first to come out swinging on a foreign policy issue back in the late 1880s it went to a conference in London of Africa and we met in London, Collins Harrington of the Southern Pacific Railroad and they struck a deal that if hundred of them financed his trips. Africa to learn more about his history and heritage he would do a feasibility study for 100 to build a railroad. The Belgian Congo I have a dog wash Williams got down and saw how ruthless Leopold the second was to the Congolese. he dropped that study, I rode an open letter condemning leupold unfortunately at the age of 46, came down with. Uh it's toss and he died and black poor England. they had Russian back to England when he took in Africa this man, but to Howard and another man who went to Howard. John Mercer Langston, who is he was the great uncle of Life's Hughes. He had a preacher Charles Satchel, who was a great grandfather of Shirley Brown, WB the bars second wife. About John Lancaster, he was supposed to have been the successor to your Howard back in that day. They didn't want a black man to be president fell black man didn't have the brains do it so he was the dean of the law school. Stop that rejection stop him did not stop him. excuse me. He went on down to Virginia became the first president of Virginia State and was the first black elected to Congress during reconstruction. From Virginia, I saw all this to say we have a great confluence of iconic personalities gt the great things that we should let our people know about and I want to hook it up with the present day, A lot of folks are going around the question of whether or not my member is Kamala Harris He's black a black enough Well she went to Howard University to get her back a large degree even. In terms of our heritage e inherited, she is a south Indian all of her developmental experiences has been black. a lot of folks who were colors they don't pay on our team and it should not matter that her mother, South Indian as she marry a Jewish man, but she and her husband. And her being hooked up with her He's acquaintance a statement of what the faith communities are to be about in America and what this nation ought to be about and that is the beloved community that doctor Martin Luther King and vision in which all peoples would be affirm included welcome and celebrated. Absolutely absolutely, you know what it takes so many of us one of my favorite folders of the doctor. Reverend Martin Luther King is as he's walking down the National Mall and you see him arm and arm with a black man and a black man and Hispanic and Muslim none of them marching together for civil justice and social rights. You know we don't have much time left in the program, but you know one of the things that no justice no peace uh is fighting for is to end the inequalities that we see here in the United States of America and so just briefly. You know I would want to hear from each of our guests you know what is it that we can do on our steps in our hearts. What is the greatest weapon that we can use in fighting this inequality and I'll turn first to my fellow westman resident and I'm on my task force uh Lonnie Daphne of Lonnie if you could lead us off, please yeah. Thank you. so you know what I would say is everybody can activate their influence from the see they're in everybody has influence um believe it or not and it's really. Where and what authentic actions will you take in order to be a part of the solution? So you know if protesting is not your thing calls could be your thing. emails could be your thing. Donations can be your thing. Um it is you know conversations opening up the dialogue. It definitely is a see something say something um to you know, bring it up to address it you know for those that sit in you know, sit in corporate America. What seed are. And what can you advocate for the advancement of others? Um where you push your ass or submit for your company to support or where do they take a stand? Um there are you know resource groups There are diversity councils There are a lot of executives that right now, you know we have their attention in their ear. You know, ask the question um and again where do we effectual that change within corporate America within policy making where their money is? Spent with suppliers are they using what are the recruiting processes because in the end, you know economic stability is really important for most of us when we think about inequality and what it actually manifest, it's more than the economic side of things you know, there's the hill side of it. There's the mental side of it um inequality has lots of lots of um I would say tentacles to it that manifest itself in the in the space for those that are being disenfranchised. So you know what I'd really say is. Anybody can do something from the seat they're sitting in. It's really figuring out what that is and actually taking action and doing something um because we all have to activate um right now more than ever voting is certainly there so you know how do we make sure our friends and our family are registered. What's our action plan for voting day? Um can we get people to the polls um and volunteer in that space and place? How do we get that coordinated for people? You know there's a lot of. That can be done um and you don't have to be on the front lines. if that's not your thing if you're behind the scenes person definitely, there's a lot of work that can be done behind the scenes, but we definitely have to activate our influence and take action um and make sure that wherever you are seeing inequality happen that we have to say something we have to do something absolutely absolutely. I'm doctor Brown. What would you say for those who say that uh trying to work on this inequality? you know uh smoothing this out. It's been a long time and a long. You know how would you keep others encouraged to keep up that fight and to keep themselves involved in in the struggle that we're all working so very hard on. Let no person disrespect one's humanity number one and number two we get rid of the notion that America was to be a melting pot. Even the nutritionist tells us that we eat too much meat too much grease. It's not healthy for you. Are we not consider that America can be healthy and the saving of the soul can be experience of this nation when we see America as a salad bowl, the salad Bowl the identity of those different vegetables never uh race and even the nutrition. Tell you you become a healthier person when you eat more salads we must affirm the worth and dignity of all people and at the end of the day realize. And we get rid of all of these ignorance around here we will discover as the paleontologist has said that the first home of humankind was in the Rift Valley, Where's the rip out on in Ethiopia, but as human beings left home left home vibrated around this crusted earth, we stopped on the banks of rivers and on beaches and we created what was to become cultures. Now with distinctive unfortunate many of us lost our minds, we developed this economies making them against us us against them. We need to master the little pronoun we we must say this world in this climate control. We must save America from this racial divide here we must make sure there's a there's equality of opportunity for everybody. And we must all get up and vote and not let anyone turn us around. keep us from voting and stop this nonsense My one vote won't count for that little poem reminds us for one of the nail the shoe was lost The shoe was lost for the one of our hearts. The rider was lost or the one of a ride in the battle of was lost one. Out of the Kingdom of God and all was lost for the world of a horse shoe nail that one nail calls the law and one vote that causes this nation to lose it. So I hope that we realize that with ten we can win everybody each person, call ten persons and encourages them to call ten of us We will hopefully enlighten them. And they are voting what the issues are, and they will vote the right way and help us to make this one nation under God Indivisible with lived in just fall. Thank you. Thank you so much doctor Brown and Representative Wilbur my good friend of the north of us. You know this is it's a long and you know sometimes a perilous fight, but what would you say to the individuals to keep them encouraging to fight for inequality? and what do you think is the best way for us to make sure that we continue forward uh especially yourself being a legislator who is trying to even out some of the uh uh inequities you know and nationally, What can we do and not just in our great state? You know the part of it just comes from uh I think this reinforces the importance of knowing history uh one way to look at this look how far we've come and now we've gone backwards But part of the thing is that we we can affect change if we do something when we do something when we come together um not just to address civil rights, but that's critical to do but when we look. The board, you know it it. It's it's it's good jobs and having a living wage, but it's also related to um you know having access to political capital. Uh you know people who are willing to run for office that support uh support our communities uh to support them but to stay involved and it's not just around election time if there's a if there's a public hearing that comes up to contact your legislator uh. Encourage people to run who are gonna support important issues. What about the the infrastructure the community? Where are the roads? How is their access to transportation? uh water uh culture? Um you know those those educational values and knowing about each other um just uh and I and I just our human capital in terms of making sure that we there's educational opportunities that uh. We are helping with networking and connecting people to each other and to network so that when we become aware of some injustice or some gap in service or resource that maybe maybe you don't have the connections, but you have the message you know if if you know that you can connect with someone who does have the connections, then that's that's the way to go about making sure that uh you know we're we're. Getting things done, I mean it's uh it's it's so important to vote and and um I just finished talking about all of those areas, but it starts with it starts with our civil rights and um you know protecting civil rights for everyone. It helps ensure that we've got a welcoming and inclusive state and um uh it's got to start with that. It gives us that sense of belonging and opportunity that's consistent with where we've been. there's been a lot of first in Iowa in terms of uh in. And and elected officials and doctors and lawyers and on and on down the list but um you know if we can make sure that we have that welcoming inclusive Iowa um it will help all of us thrive and rise. and that's how we're going to. Insulate ourself from uh those uh forces of evil, I like to tell folks that people who hate and groups who hate they take advantage of the internet and the 24 hour news cycle and their voices. they make sure that their voices are heard. so we can't be bystanders. We have to make sure that that's not the only set of voices and ideas that are out there and if we can start to build an escalate um. We know is gonna be helpful for community and pointing out when there are injustices that will drown out those voices and reinforce what what the rest of us wanna see happen in in in this society? Thank you. Thank you. Representative Wilbourn. You know I remember one mother saying to me after the terrible incidents that took place in Charlottesville, I remember hanging her head and saying you know what it seems like we've lost all of those things that we. Or in the 60s and after my mother said that I said no mom, that's not true because I haven't stopped fighting and hopefully none of you will stop fighting. We haven't stopped fighting and what that led us to was an amazing bit of work by the Black Legislative caucus here in Iowa to pass some legislation that really made people's lives Other youth here in the state of Iowa Many individuals fought very hard and so we got an executive signed. we had a young woman who. Out in Howard University and she kept fighting and he's now find herself to be the official vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party and no justice. No peace will never stop fighting to bring equality to the United States to bring an economic situation, which you know African Americans can find themselves elevated above the levels of poverty, which will find you know culturally diverse and you know culturally educational programming within our schools and we're gonna make sure that we never stop fighting. To make sure that there's we look forward, we can erase those inequalities. We can smooth out those bumps and make this a country that is created for all mankind. not just a few. That's why I ask you to join me in this fight. I wanna thank my guests for joining me tonight. Thank you so much for joining us from California Doctor Brown I get to thank you for joining us here in West Des Moines and Ross. Thank you so much for joining us way up there in Ames once again, I love your barber my brother, it looks great. It's always. This type of leaves me aerodynamic and solar powered ladies and gentlemen, please join in to our next town halls that we have thank you once again to all of our guests and I hope that all of you remember the one thing that you've got here from tonight. Never stop fighting. Thank you all very much and have a great night. Thank you. Thank you.