NAACP Youth Council members Tirei Shaw, Tyler Harrington, Dominique Penny, Fiyonnia Baldwin, Shaquille Carbon, Antionque Penny, Fiondra Baldwin, LeeNique Penny, and Advisor Rena Mcneil represented Scotland County at the HK on J.
Members of the local NAACP youth council traveled to Raleigh Saturday to participate in the annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street, or HK on J, event.
Founded three years ago, the event has focused primarily on the rights of average citizens.
Members of the Scotland Youth Council along with NAACP members from Pembroke and Lumberton joined roughly 10,000 people in a two- mile march from Chavis Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the state Legislature Building on Jones Street.
"It was a meritorious experience. The purpose of it was fulfilled and I can't wait until next year," said Scotland County NAACP Youth Council member Shaquille Carbon of the march.
The event began at 9:30 a.m. with a rally in Chavis Park, followed by the march and a program on Jones Street.
Chants of "Don't balance the budget on the backs of the poor" were shouted during the march and the subsequent program.
At the program, speakers discussed the event's primary objective of demanding state leaders to complete action on a 14-point agenda drawn up by North Carolina citizens.
The Reverend William J. Barber Jr., president of the North Carolina NAACP, served as the program's primary speaker. Other speakers included representatives of the various demographics which enforcement of the movement's 14-point agenda would affect.
The 14-point agenda outlined a reform plan for the state and included such points as high-quality education for all children, health care for all, livable wages and support for those with low incomes, the redressing of North Carolina's racist history, more funding of HBCUs, protection of the rights of immigrant workers, the abolishment of racially biased death penalties, putting young people to work to save the environment, and bringing home American troops from Iraq.
Organizers also used used the event to remind attendees of the NAACP's 100th year anniversary last week.
"I'm glad to be a member. It is truly a blessing and a great experience," said Scotland County NAACP Youth Council President Tyler Harrington. The NAACP celebrated its 100th year anniversary last Thursday.
The NAACP youth council holds meetings every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Scotland County Memorial Library.
"I think they all birthed first-hand a stand for justice. They were able to actually do it instead of reading or hearing about it," Scotland County NAACP Youth Council Advisor Rena McNeil said of the youth attending the event.
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