At the Millions More Movement, Comments from the People

Cold rain fell for nine days straight throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic States, in October.  Then on the 10th day, October 15,  the sun beamed and, later that evening, the moon loomed bold and large, unobscured by the mists of the previous evenings. 
“It had to rain like that,” said artist -photographer Barry L. Mason, standing on the Mall after the events had ended.  “It was God’s libation for the Millions More Movement.”
In the days just after the Movement, there were some who would try to rain on its parade by forcing comparisons to the Million Man March.  But those constantly fueled by “the fire inside” and the “leader within” – like broadcaster Jacque Reid, Atlanta attorney Maluwi, national activist Eddie Ellis   and Brooklyn College student Sharron Delafa Paul, among others – got the message of the Movement. In the words of Ms. Reid, “It starts with each individual doing something to make a difference.”
Jacque Reid, Broadcaster
I am glad to be here and to hear Farrakhan talking about the need for solutions (to our problems) and calling  to be more proactive.  I hope that people are inspired.  We should not have to wait for an organization  to call a march in order to feel motivated to do something and make a change.   The question is what is each of us going to do when we are back at home?
Emlyn Paul, Photographer
The Million Man March was the greatest experience of my life.  But today the response – despite the threat of the weather in previous days – is overwhelming. I came here with my daughter, and she is going home with information she never could get anywhere else in one place, like this . There were enough leaders from different areas to tell us what’s going on around the country, so that people are going home with good ideas to do something where they live.
Sharron Delafa Paul, College Student
I am 19, a sophomore majoring in psychology at Brooklyn College, and I have learned a lot today.  I had no idea about the new laws cast by the Supreme Court that will allow a white prosecutor to  take black jurors off a case against a black defendant.  And it was fantastic seeing this many black people in this place at one time.

Mawuli Mel Davis, Attorney
I brought my two sons, ages 5 and 7, with me and  a busload of young people from Clark-Atlanta, Spelman and Morehouse.  It’s important that we are here.  Anytime we are called to come together and be united to work to work together as a collective, we have to be there.  It’s a critical time in our history. We are going to back to Atlanta to do the work and continue to build.  The next steps are to sit down and discuss what we want to do and how we should do it. We must pass on the spirit of struggle to each generation. It’s not something we’re born with; we have to engage the young people so they can see that we should be here, and we are doing this.  There will be time when my sons will have to step up.  To help make that happen, we must engage the young people. I want my sons to bring their children.
Eddie Ellis, Activist
The idea of putting together a national movement speaks to the problems of African people in America and is enough for all of these people who are here to come,  to listen and to take back to others.  The Million Man March was focused on the individual, individual atonement, individual’s accepting responsibility  for themselves, their families and their communities. The Movement is focused on community, regional and national organizations. And a call for a unified approach to the solving of problems that affect people of African descent.