By Joice M. Dunn
The City of Grambling officials and Black Men In Purple are collectively holding a “Let’s Talk About It” session Saturday, September 19, from 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. in the Grambling City Park.
The theme is “No More Working in Silos — Let’s Align Our Efforts, Amplify Our Impact, and Move Grambling Forward Together.”
“Absolutely, this is a must attend event because for far too long many different organizations have been trying to achieve the same goal through separate paths. This is an opportunity to bring all that energy under one roof because the latter has not worked effectively,” explained Gregory Ludley, executive director of Black Men in Purple.
The partnership is supported by the HBCU Boosters as Title Sponsor. One Community, One Conversation and One Collective Effort.
The gathering will be community-wide designed to bring organizations, leaders, businesses, educators, churches, Greek-letter organizations, nonprofits, youth groups, and residents together to share ideas, connect resources, identify common goals, and develop collaborative solutions for Grambling.
There will be a community update by Mayor Alvin Bradley — accomplishments, initiatives, challenges, and future priorities during his current tenure.
There will be presentations by candidates and elected officials in attendance who will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and discuss their priorities and platforms. Ludley said that every local candidate will receive a personal invitation from him.
There’re several sessions included in the event to involve all area residents. Economic development: How to build a stronger local economy? Local business development, entrepreneurship, jobs, workforce opportunities, investment, and community partnerships.
An educational enhancement and youth session will be included in preparing the young people for the future through mentoring, scholarships, HBCU opportunities, career preparation, youth leadership, and education partnerships.
Political and Civic Education: “Know Before You Vote.” Local, state and federal offices; candidates and platforms; voting records where applicable; issues affecting the community; voter participation and civic engagement.
There will be several question opportunities for residents and participate in a moderate community discussion. There will be a Community Action Agenda to identify priority issues and begin developing a “We Are Grambling” and a Community Action Agenda for future collaboration.
A free community lunch will be provided. Enjoy food, fellowship, networking, and opportunities to connect with organizations and community partners.
Voter registration and resources will be available: registration and nonpartisan civic information will be available throughout the event, along with community organization and resource tables.
All are welcome to attend, from Civic Organizations, Churches, Fraternities, Sororities, Nonprofits, Businesses, Educators, Youth Organizations, and Community Groups, to Elected Officials. Candidates and Residents.
One Conversation. One Collective Effort, Let’s Talk About It and then Let’s Do Something About It.