The conclusion of the 2nd Annual NC-Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission Summit (Oct. 25-28, 2023) stands as both an honor and a source of joy. The event wove together a diverse tapestry of students, workers, interfaith clergies, and national and international leaders at Bennett College for Women, uniting under the shared ideals of Truth, Justice, Healing, and Reconciliation. Registration totaled 302, with daily attendance averaging 100-150.
Greensboro, NC served as the epicenter for thought-provoking discussions and powerful presentations at the Summit. Renowned speakers, including Rev. Dr. William Barber II, President of Repairers of the Breach and Co-Chair of the National Poor People’s Campaign; Dr. Ben Chavis, President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association and Wilmington 10 Activist; Mary Kay Henry, President of Service Employees International Union; and Rev. Nontombi (Naomi) Tutu, Human Rights Activist and daughter of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu graced the event. During greetings, Mrs. Joyce Hobson Johnson, Co-Executive Director of the Beloved Community Center, remarked, “We can move strongholds of oppression.”
The Summit embodied the spirit of “walking towards each other,” emphasizing the need to unite not only diverse people and ideologies but also the collective effort required for our shared mission. As Rev. Nelson Johnson, Co-Executive Director, aptly stated, “We are in a position to reshape the state and, by extension, reshape the nation.”
The NCTJRC Summit ‘23 featured cultural presentations by Potz, Panz, and Handz, spiritual grounding by Kim Pevia, Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble Drummers, and a community art build led by Francy Rawls. A significant highlight was the Tides of Justice Panel, where past and present student activists, led by moderator Rev. Wesley Morris, shared their experiences, passions, and visions for the future. Panelists included Mr. Lewis Brandon, Zakyha Jones-Walker, Dr. Ben Chavis, Mr. Cedric Harrison, Zoe Touray, Margaret Small, and Kylah Guion. Guion, expressing a powerful sentiment, shared, “Trust the ground to hold your seeds.”
The Tides of Faith Panel convened clergy and lay members to discuss the role of faith in shaping tangible change within our communities. Moderated by Terence “TC” Muhammad of BCC & Hip Hop Caucus, panelists included Imam Abdel J. Nuriddin, Rev. Chris Furr, Rabbi Andy Koren, and Dr. Jennifer Copeland. Dr. Copeland shared a profound insight, “People want to be heard. You have to understand deep listening. Collaboration may not necessarily mean total agreement.”
The Elected Officials Panel, moderated by Skip Alston, Chair of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, offered invaluable insights into campaign experiences and advice. The panel included State Senator Natalie Murdock, Mayor Weyling J. White, Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston, Councilman Chris Suggs, and County Commissioner Frankie Jones.
The summit concluded with the “We the People” March of Equity, from Bennett College to the February One Statue at NC A&T State University. Rev. Nontombi (Naomi) Tutu expressed hope during the march, stating, “Our young people are the generation that has inherited the spunk, the interest, and the questioning of those in the ’70s and ’80s who questioned this country’s policy against South Africa.” This march exemplified the next step in The Truth Process, executing The Long March—an ambitious endeavor that will assemble communities to march from the mountains to the coast statewide in 2024.
High-resolution photos from the 2nd Annual NC-TJRC Summit are available here.
NCTJRC ’23 Summit Guide