Dr. Charles Steele

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

THE RIGHT TO VOTE…THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE! Join us for the 63rd Annual SCLC Convention!

By Dr. Charles Steele Jr., SCLC National President & CEO

ATLANTA – As president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), I would like to welcome you to the 63rd Annual SCLC Hybrid Convention. We’re so excited about the opportunity to gradually move towards pre-covid style conventions with our hybrid model meeting schedule this year. Although most off the convention will be virtual, we will have an in-person prayer breakfast. The convention will begin with a prayer breakfast Thursday morning at Hillside International Truth Center in Atlanta, GA with all subsequent events being held virtually on the SCLC convention website (www. sclcconvention.com). We’re so excited to meet at the convention with so many distinguished and national and international leaders from around the globe. Each year that we host our annual convention is another year that hope springs eternal for the world. Our faith in God helps us regenerate a restored hope in humanity that the good in us all will outweigh the bad. At this year’s convention we have brought together like-minded individuals as we work to safeguard justice and equality for all God’s children all across the globe. With all Americans tired battered and bruised from the effects of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, I, Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), today call on each and every one of you to stand up and create change and leadership in your community for the good of mankind. Understand the power you hold in your voice, your actions and your leadership. I believe that God created each of us for a divine purpose of helping mankind in our very own way…big or small. We all bring value into this world.

Let us not become complacent in our thinking. Let not the societal temptations of the world distract us from the very real issues that plague our country today. Poverty, violence, voting SCLC National Magazine/ Spring 2022 Issue

rights and racism (at its core) in this country is an issue that touches us all. You can choose to close your eyes to the issues or your can stand up for what’s right. SCLC has been sounding the alarm for years about the need to restore the 1965 Voting Rights Act which paved the way for freedom and justice around the world. SCLC, which has been on the frontline fi ghting for voting rights that led to historic 1965 Voting Right Act, will not sit idly by and allow this freedom to be taken from citizens.

It is written down in history the accomplishments of SCLC and the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. The gutting of this right is personal. It has single handedly wiped away years of struggle, tears, sweat and blood. This very reason is why we have worked so hard to convene the SCLC 63rd convention because, hope is needed, strategy and planning and most importantly love is needed to continue the fi ght for justice and equality around the globe. This is what the SCLC conventions are about. We must come together to strategize and plan for a better tomorrow.

Let’s not give up…let’s not give in…justice and equality will prevail in the end. We look forward to seeing you at the SCLC 63rd Annual Convention. Register today at www.sclcconvention.com.