RALEIGH - "In my hometown, there used to be a line," Gov. Jim Hunt said yesterday at the North Carolina Initiative on Race. "It was the railroad track and it was solid and rigid. Now the track is still there, but [different races] are all over the place."
Despite both symbolic and actual improvements in integration throughout the state, Hunt emphasized to nearly 700 conference participants that North Carolina has a long way to go before reaching true racial equity.
This day-long conference, which drew leaders from business, faith, law enforcement, education and other fields, is the third such event since Hunt formed the initiative in 1997. The day included speeches from Hunt; Malcolm Everett, president of First Union's mid-Atlantic region; and Chancellor Julius Chambers, of North Carolina Central University.
The program also included several small-group discussions on issues such as closing the racial achievement gap, bridging the technological divide and providing access to money and markets.
With the theme of "Renewing the Commitment, Securing the Promise," Hunt began his address by celebrating improvements, but quickly moved to address what must be done next.
"Sometimes you don't like telling about the changes lest people think you've finished," he explained.
After briefly commending recent progress in Durham County schools, Hunt devoted much of his speech to the improvement of the state's public school system.
In addition to teaching traditional curricula, the governor suggested North Carolina schools must better incorporate "common humanity" into their teachings. He also made an aside promoting the Nov. 7 bond issue to provide for public universities and community colleges.
"I think that our biggest job now is to see we have equal opportunity for our folks," he said. "Not just technically speaking, but I'm talking about equal, full opportunity to succeed."
Hunt said he was concerned that children from underprivileged backgrounds could not compete with others like his grandchildren, "who have all the stuff and all the love."
Perhaps unwittingly, Hunt echoed Bill Gates' famous dream, saying "I want to see a computer in every home of every schoolchild-yeah, that deserves applause."
But beyond access to new technologies, Hunt urged that children need stimulation and attention from both parents.
"We need to get the parents involved-the mother and the father. Even if they're not married, the father still needs to be involved," he said.
The governor also described the economic disparity between ethnic groups as a key area of concern.
"When you contrast [the poverty] with the enormous wealth that some people have, and when you see those things you realize we've got some real moral problems," the governor said.
Carolyn Coleman, special assistant to the governor, said her office considered the day a success. She said the ideas generated at the conference would likely be acted upon, due to the political influence of many attendees.
One idea that came from a discussion group on equalizing access to technology was the creation of restricted credit cards.
"One of the groups discussed the fact that Internet access depends on having a credit card, which makes it difficult or impossible for people of lower incomes to access the Internet," said Ben Reese, a conference organizer and Duke's assistant vice president for cross-cultural relations.
Consequently, Reese said, participants suggested that restricted-access credit cards be made available to assist more minority families obtain Internet access.
Findings from these discussions will be distributed to state and local human relation commissions, to the state legislature and to conference attendees.
The compiled text will also be made available to the winner of November's gubernatorial election.
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