LUMBERTON — The Robeson County Association of Black People will hold a summit called “The State of Black Robeson” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the W.H. Knuckles Elementary School at 1520 Martin Luther King Drive.
The mission of the RCABP is to serve as an advocate for the elimination of disparities in health, mental health, education, and the justice system for all under-served populations, according to Pat McRae, the association’s chairman. The association also promotes economic growth and development for minority communities in Southeastern North Carolina.
McRae described Saturday’s summit as the continuation of the association’s inaugural summit held on July 24, 2010, in Fairmont.
“We want to continue educating the public on the issues,” she said.
The summit will have more than 20 informational booths. Those attending the summit will have the chance to: learn about how to lower their property taxes; discuss medications with a pharmacist; have their eyes examined by representatives of the Southeastern Eye Clinic; and get their blood pressure checked by staff from the Dr. A.J. Robinson Clinic.
Prizes will be given away and a cook-out will be held after the program.
Topics to be discussed include the North Carolina judicial system, the North Carolina state budget, and the state of health in North Carolina from the prospective of the General Assembly.
The summit’s keynote speaker will be Laura Gerald, director of the state’s Division of Public Health. Gerald has served as director of public health since early this year.
Other major speakers include: state Sen. Michael Walters, who represents Robeson and Hoke counties; state Sen. Eric Mansfield, of Cumberland County; Judicial District 16-B District Court Judge Judith M. Daniels; and Robeson County Public Defender Angus Thompson II.
Also expected to attend the summit are Courtney Crowder, representing the office of Gov. Bev Perdue; state Rep. Charles Graham, of Robeson County; state Rep. Garland Pierce, whose district includes Robeson, Scotland and Hoke counties; Linda Coleman, candidate for lieutenant governor of North Carolina; and Robeson County Commissioners Jerry Stephens and Hubert Sealey.
For information about the summit, call 910-674-8026.
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We have the Lumbee homecoming this week, and now this meeting of "black issues",.... I'll be glad when you white folk get some pride in your race and "throw" a little something for yourselves. You deserve it. There I said it, YOU deserve it! Go ahead and explain how the taxes you pay help fund all these other "pride" day/race functions, how a majority of all taxes paid come from whites, a majority of jobs that minorities have are from white owners of businesses... Go ahead, here is a suggestion for a banner or maybe printed on shirts for sale: "White Pride", "Year of the White Man", or maybe "White and Proud"... Ohh, I got those ideas from the pow wow in Pembroke except they used another race so there, it's perfectly ok for you guys to do the same... Have at it, I'll support you. True American, Ross