Memorable moments from a memorable Summit

This list could be as varied as the people who'd write it down, but for me, here are some of those memorable moments:

Gifts of money and miles to get us there

Dealing with “Elizabeth” with the British accent

The welcome of the Social Justice Team from Abilene Christian University at the Franklinton
Center at the Bricks

Entering the community center at Tillery again

Friendly faces, Gary, Spencer, Cary, the Rooks brothers, Delores, Juan, and so many more

The Watermelon Man and his stories

The guard at the school

The presentation and responses to it

The shout out from the pastor in the back of the room

The question from the man at the back of the room who wanted to know if I included the “voices of the deceased”

The shift from “working the crowd” to “getting it”

Scripted speeches to impromptu emotional responses

Late night conversations with Social Justice III and IV and Gary Grant

Sitting across from the Foxworths from Mississippi at lunch and his goodbye after dinner,
telling us that they’d see us in Abilene

The hugs and kisses from Evangeline and Delores

Charla’s insightful questions and comments

Students’ insightful questions and comments

Feeling the energy in the room and hearing the sounds of approval

Stories from behind the scenes of Pigford, USDA, DOJ, Sitkof, Glickman, and Carter

Being told that our presence was important

Meeting an amazing cast of characters: farmers, retired, drummed out, still farming; USDA Office of Civil Rights employees, career versus appointed; employees of the Franklinton Center; BFAA officers; spouses of farmers; students from ECU, ACU, and WCU; academics from KSU, MSU, and ACU; former Director of Civil Rights at the USDA; L. C. Cooper; Marvin and Angie, Gary Grant, Eddie Wise; activist with Rural Coalition; writer for the Militant; writer for the Raleigh-Durham paper; the farmer who works two acres and makes a living in the area of specialty crops already sold before they’re grown; the absence of Dr. Mohammad; the Grant family: Gary Redding and his twin sister, Gloria, Evangeline, and Sky; head of agriculture at NC A & T; and so many more

Tour and background of Franklinton Center and learning more of its history

The long goodbye embraces

The conversations on the way to the airport and the meaning making that will last for a while