The panel was hosted by Natalie Murdock, a state senator and a local political director of the Harris/Walz campaign. Photo by Carla Peay/The Atlanta VoiceGREENSBORO – The theme was “A Different Brunch”, a callback to the popular television show “A Different World,” which aired from 1987 to 1993, and showed a lot of young people what life at an HBCU could be like – culture, community, and camaraderie – as well as a good education.Held at the Doubletree Inn in Greensboro, the event was a brunch, followed by a panel of speakers who addressed issues that affect Black voters, and the issue of engagement among young people.The panel was hosted by Natalie Murdock, a state senator and a local political director of the Harris/Walz campaign. Her opening question to the panel was about the oft-discussed topic of young people and how to get them engaged in the political process, especially in an election so crucial to our future.“We have to be as active and as proactive as we can be,” said state senator Gladys Robinson. She shared the story of her granddaughter, who dropped out of a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) to attend an HBCU, Bennett College in Greensboro, NC. “She told me ‘Now I understand what HBCU’s do.’ They grab our students and let them know what they can be. They create leaders.” Robinson reminded the group the importance of voting and working the polls if possible, and that local elections, including the NC governor’s race, are just as critical as the presidential race.Photo by Carla Peay/The Atlanta Voice“We need to make sure that people are protected when they go to vote,” she said.NC representative Amos Quick, a graduate of UNC Wilmington, said he wished he had attended an HBCU when he was young. Addressing the issue of whether or not black men are supporting Kamala Harris, Quick said there is a lot of disinformation being spread.“I don’t know why it’s out there that 20 percent of black men are supporting Trump,” Quick said. “They are not in the barber shops I go to. I think people need to understand that when we vote for Harris, we are not just voting for a person, we are voting for a set of ideals.” He added that we should not be afraid to advocate for a black agenda.“We need diversity, not just in skin color, but in thought of mind,” Quick said. “My kids have lived through a global pandemic, 911, and feeling like a school building isn’t safe. They know how important the right leadership is, because they have seen what happens when you pick the wrong leadership.”Veleria Levy, Executive director of the NC AIDS Action Network, talked about the importance of “othering.”“A lot of Republicans are still othering people they believe are not like them – particularly the LGBTQ+ community,” Levy said. “Before that, they were othering black people, and they still are.” She spoke of her college-age son, and how proud she is of his desire to serve.“We need to let our young people know what they can get out of this election,” Levy said. “Our young people don’t watch the news; they get their news from social media and from their friends. But they are smart. We need to ask them what is important to them.”North Carolina Court of Appeals judge Carolyn Thompson relayed a story of how her student loans were forgiven by the Biden/Harris administration, and to reach young people by telling them stories that matter to them. She also gave a warning about believing in poll numbers.“When I see a poll in my email, I delete it,” she said. “We are the polls. If people vote, we can move these poll numbers. That’s why it’s so important to get engaged in this election. Representation matters.”NCAA Alum Joi Bass stressed the importance of meeting young people where they are. “We have to make sure our voices are heard. Kamala Harris isn’t just talking about equality, but equity.”Billed as the special guest of the event was radio and television host Claudia Jordan, who once worked with Donald Trump when she hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 2009 and said she has watched his transformation up close. Her advice to the group was to not get frustrated.“I just use the platform I have and try to celebrate these young people. I was happy to see the engagement of the young people in this election,” Jordan said. She is currently working on a show she says is designed to make politics more fun. She also relayed a story about the importance of choice, and the perils of having choice taken away. “Young girls today have less rights than their mothers. Choice is not a woman’s issue, it’s a life issue.”Seated at a table in the back of the room were two long-time political activists and HBCU grads, enjoying the brunch and the messages of the speakers. They both joked that they were tired, and ready for the young people to take over the fight.Guilford County resident Roslyn Smith-McLean, 85, a graduate of Bennett College, says she has lived to see some unusual political events.“This is the time for our young people to take over the fight, and I would like to see them show out and show up,” said Smith-McLean. “Seeing the number of young people here today really makes your heart swell. I’m going to be doing my part as long as I live.”Ernestine “Tina” Taylor, a graduate of Texas Southern in her 70’s, has been a North Carolina resident for 25 years. Asked why this election is so important, Taylor said “I do not want my grandchildren returned to slavery. I never focused on a party; I focus on character. There is no way Trump should have been president the first time, let alone be re-elected. If you want to talk about character and brilliance and experience, that is all wrapped up in Kamala.”The post “A Different Brunch” highlights HBCU’s for Harris across the south appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.