by Tommy Valentine
Photos by Megan Baer
ATHENS, Georgia – Less than 48 hours after election day, over one hundred people crowded into Athens-Clarke County Library for the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement’s Civil Rights Public Meeting & Workshop.
“We have to carry on,” said AADM founder Mokah Johnson, as she began the meeting. Johnson, standing alongside husband and fellow AADM coordinator Knowa, opened the workshop by admitting that her heart was heavy after the recent election results, but then turned the dialogue to a more optimistic note: the recent civil rights activity by the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission.
Johnson was referring to the passage of an Anti-Discrimination Bar Admittance Ordinance and an accompanying commission defined option (CDO) that tasks the City Manager’s office with the creation of an Athens Civil Rights Committee. The legislation was passed in the wake of months of organizing that included intense lobbying, crowded marches, and some of the largest civil demonstrations in local history. These efforts were the result of careful coordination between groups (such as AADM, Athens for Everyone, and the local NAACP), as well as a groundswell of local concerned citizens.
Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Melissa Link, an invited speaker, (and dedicated supporter of the Civil Rights Legislation) walked the capacity-crowd through the twists and turns that led to the passage of the ordinance and why a city-run civil rights committee is an important prospect for Athens. Link also shared her frustration and concern over the fact that some commissioners blocked her proposal to include public input during the creation of the committee. Link concluded her comments by encouraging the crowd to stay involved and vigilant.
Knowa Johnson spoke next, urging the crowd to stay motivated. “Yes, we’ve received resistance,” he said, “but without that resistance, we wouldn’t be here united.” Johnson spoke on the success of AADM’s recent Anti-Discrimination Sticker Campaign, coordination with other organizations, the importance of treating everyone with love. Johnson closed with the announcement that AADM is organizing a series of workshops that will teach participants how to protect the civil rights of themselves and others, including an upcoming workshop by UGA Professor of Social Work Llewellyn J. Cornelius.
The audience was then given a presentation by local attorney Ryan Heron, who completed a workshop on the definition of civil rights, what civil rights are protected, and what to do when those rights are threatened. Copies of the constitution were handed out to all in attendance.
The meeting closed with the revealing of the new AADM website and the distribution of a survey on area discrimination. Members of AADM were recognized and the audience was encouraged to sign up to the mailing list. In her closing statement, Mokah Johnson encouraged the audience to join the Anti-Discrimination Movement, reminding everyone that, “We have so far to go, but this all starts with you!”