BATON ROUGE - The Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III brought an unexpected message of hope and encouragement to 200 faith and community leaders gathered at the Southern University Ag Center's annual leadership development conference earlier Thursday. King and Sharpton remained in the state after last week's march and rally supporting the 'Jena 6' defendants.

Conference planner Gina E. Eubanks said the surprise visit and comments from Sharpton and King placed greater emphasis on the conference theme of extending, engaging, and empowering leaders across Louisiana.

"[Sharpton and King] are here to extend knowledge of what happened in Jena, but they are not doing it by themselves, they are engaging the community. They left the leaders here with the impression that they can go forward with their own efforts of community empowerment," said Eubanks, vice chancellor for extension of the Southern University Ag Center. "To have national figures take time out of their schedule and say a few words of encouragement, that's empowerment and it shows that they understand what Southern University is doing for the citizens of Louisiana."

The community and faith leadership development conference is in its 10th year and is a three-day training event for leaders of non-profit organizations, churches, synagogues, housing and community development corporations and youth centers.

"What we are doing here is carrying out our land-grant mission of educating people who are not enrolled in our academic programs, but who can take the vast resources of the university and apply it to their businesses, family and apply it to the success and mobility of their citizenry," Ag Center Chancellor Leodrey Williams said.

The fact that Sharpton and King walked in on this conference for leaders is more than 'coincidental,' said Williams. "They thought enough of what we are doing to pause and give encouragement to all the participants and the leadership. They are sincere about what they are doing. This is important for leaders to do things like this."

Sharpton and King spoke to the group at the request of Tallulah mayor Eddie Beckwith Jr. and ag center extension agent Sarah Sims and Eubanks. Beckwith and Sims actively mobilize groups from Madison Parish for the Jena Six march.

"We were blessed by their presence…to have them here brings more importance to what Southern is doing…. It's a glimmer of hope for the impending change that could take place," said Rev. Rene Brown, pastor of Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge.

Media contact:

candace j. semien
communications coordinator
Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center
(225) 806 - 0113

Bridget Udoh
Communicactions Specialist
(225) 892-3685

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