LAURINBURG — Freedom Day, or Juneteenth, was celebrated across the United States on Friday in honor of the official end of slavery two and one-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

In light of recent events across the nation, local law enforcement met with youth and community members at The Highlands for the “Let Us Breathe & Blossom” dialog.

Topics from how youth feel when they hear sirens, what training officers go through to deescalate situations, what Scotland County can do to prevent crime and more were discussed, with some leaving feeling better than they came.

“Before I felt everyone didn’t have an understanding of each other’s feelings and of everyone’s perspective of what’s going on,” said 16-year-old Shekinah Williams. “Now I feel like we have an understanding and we can use that and interpret that into helping each other.”

From the law enforcement side, Laurinburg Police Juvenile Investigator Sgt Shaun Chavis added that at the end of the day he’s realized the community just wants officers to connect with them and be open-minded.

“It went well and allowed the community to get some of their feelings off their chest,” Chavis said. “And communicate what they’re feeling and how everything that has happened affected them.”

Despite a slightly lower turnout than organizers would have liked, they called the event a success after many tough questions being asked.

“It was a comfortable setting twenty, twenty-five young people asking questions so I feel like this is something that can continue,” said Rena McNeil. “Maybe it’s something the police officers would like to take upon themselves and we can start doing this across our state.”

The event was followed by a banquet that honored the 2020 Man of the Year Daryle McNair, along with others, and featured guest speaker Teresa Hale Chase along with the 2020 ACT-SO winners.

Reach Katelin Gandee at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.