by: Katiera Winfrey
Posted: Jul 15, 2020 / 07:23 PM EST / Updated: Jul 15, 2020 / 07:23 PM EST
The 5th annual Urban Servant Leadership Un-Conference gave insight, hope, and inspiration to many of our community's critical leaders.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A local agency is putting the finishing touches on an event set on encouraging the community to take action. While Unite For Change centers around equal rights and treatment for Black and other people of color, people involved in this event said the benefits of change will spread across all ethnic lines.
You can’t miss it, whether you agree with how it’s being done, there’s a shift happening. And to create the changes so many are hoping to see, people will need to unite. “We have needs from the street all the way to the statehouse,” said Unite For Change founder Pastor John E. Girton, Jr.
Girton founded it six years ago as a way to bring the community together to do just that. It’s going virtual this year but considering what 2020 has brought us so far, it may be one of the most important times to hold the event.
“The conversation is centered around the tract of social justice. What now? What next? And that really is important because there are a lot of people who may or may not have been involved in the protest may have not (been involved) in march,” Girton said. “They may not have done those things, but they want to do something.”
The event will include a list of speakers addressing a range of topics. Ky Freeman, IU Black Student Union president is one of them.
Like thousands of others, he’s taken to the streets for protests and marches, but he said he realizes every person’s role in the fight for justice isn’t and shouldn’t be the same. “So that’s what I implore, just look deeper be more informed. Even if you don’t want to do anything just speak up and say something,” said Freeman.
He said the recent injustices against Black people aren’t just violations to people of color. He said systemic racism seeps into all our lives.
“We consistently kind of pin it is this is a Black issue that’s going on. I know it’s a human rights violation for all of us to really dive deeper.”
The Unite for Change event is August 15. Register now or learn more.
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