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THE 14"' ANNUAL ORANGE COUNTY <br />HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION FORUM <br />The Friday Center, Chapel Hzll, NC <br />September 10, 2003 <br />"Fifty Years after Brown v. Board of Education: How African Americans <br />iz: Orange County are Faring in Education, <br />Health Care and Economic Opportruzity" <br />Welcome and Agenda Presentation <br />Rosetta Wash, Human Services Advisory Commission (HSAC) Co-Chair, opened Forum <br />200.3 with welcome to a gathering crowd of over 150 registered participants, followed by <br />a moment of silence in commemoration of the victims and survivors of 911, Ms. Wash <br />reviewed the agenda for the day and highlighted materials found in the registration <br />packet, <br />Official Greetings from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners <br />Barry .Jacobs, Orange County Commissioner and liaison to the HSAC, greeted the <br />participants and recognized elected officials and long-time community leaders who were <br />in attendance. He noted the importance of 911 in the nation's history and shared a <br />memory.. <br />I per°sonally wwz 't ever° forget the sight of the relatives and, fizends out in the streets of <br />New York looking, for lost loved ones. One of the things that struck n:e abozst that, besides <br />how sad it was, was the b•enrenrlorrs diversity of the people wlzo had worked in that <br />building arzd the b°emendous diversity of the people who live in this coundy. Most of zcs <br />m°e the children, descendants of immigrants, who came her°e seeking fi~eedonz and <br />oppor°tunity. There is one group of which that is not true, mzd those are Africm:- <br />Americmrs. " <br />Commissioner .Jacobs said it was very appropriate to celebrate the 50`x' anniversary of <br />Brown versus Board of Education even before May of 2004 arrives because the argument <br />that started in 1952 was reheard in 1953, and that the legal challenge was actually <br />comprised of five court cases, not one. He noted: <br />"Here in Chapel Flill, there was a lawsuit. A Blaclc student wanted to go to a junior high <br />school that was closer to his house than the Blaclc school. 77re school system went to <br />court to bloc% that ,,,Chapel Hill residents went door- to- dow• cir°culating a petition that <br />integration would adversely affect property values. Those of'us who ar°e getting e-mail <br />about merger are Izearing the same thing nom. We are her°e to talk about lrow things have <br />clrarrged, and clearly mach has changed fi onr those em lien times. " <br />