BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Family members of the Jefferson 10 are preparing to mark one year since they lost their loved ones. 10 lives were cut short in a shooting at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue on May 14th, including 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield. As this somber anniversary approaches, Garnell and Raymond Whitfield are leading a three-day conference to tackle the topic of hatred and white supremacy.
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The conference, 'Pursuit of tRuth,' will be hosted at SUNY Buffalo State University. The first day kicked off with a powerful conversation among college students. Brandynn Robinson and Dave Harry joined their peers in this discussion.
"I think it was the first steps to something that could be bigger," Harry said.
The Buffalo State class discussed white supremacy, race and the importance of incorporating Black history into education while speaking with students from the University of Wyoming through Zoom.
"It's important to know what other people's thoughts are outside of your community and even across the country," Robinson said.
The students at the University of Wyoming are predominately white, while the students at Buffalo State are predominately Black. Naila Ansari, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and Theater, said this setting allows each group to better understand each other. Ansari connected with the Whitfield family to help organize this conference.
Ansair said it is important to host this conference because many people still do not understand these topics.
"When you have those face to face it allows us I think to see the humanity in one another and feel the empathy for people who've had to experience this," she said, "So how can we understand what's happening with white supremacy on two different types of campuses with a generation that's the same that's being affected by white supremacy?"
The conversations continue on April 21 and April 22 with panel discussions that will include United Nations Special Adviser, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Attorney Benjamin Lloyd Crump and Columbia Dean of Journalism Jelani Cobb. The events are free and open to the public.
