On Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, students had the opportunity to learn from the passionate and outspoken Junius “Jeff” Carter, who is president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Bergen County Chapter, an event sponsored by the ZONE. 

As part of the Bergen Family Center’s Racial Justice Institute, this event explored systemic racism in the United States. Mr. Carter taught students about racism and the NAACP, encouraged listeners to create change of their own, and provided a safe space (remotely) for students to discuss injustices within the school and our community that day. 

“Mr. Carter knows what it means to take action and be an advocate to call out injustice and fight for the advancement of those who are disadvantaged, which is of utmost importance to our group,” said event facilitator Anissa Hodge who is a Bergen Family Center clinician.

Mr. Carter taught students the modern purpose of the NAACP and explained ways in which students can become involved. He was impressed by their interest in his presentation and how they were actively engaged in the discussion.

“Anytime that we can have civil discussions and learn, it makes us all better. When we understand a topic or topics, we will make more fact-based decisions,” Mr. Carter said.

Mr. Carter backed up his presentation with personal stories about racism from his many jobs over the years, including working in the field of electrical engineering and as manager of a restaurant, and told of his achievements to make change for the community. Mr. Carter currently works in the Bergen County Special Services School District, where he works with adults with autism.

“I really appreciated when Mr. Carter explained his journey and talked about his own experiences. It totally helps people put themselves in those positions and really think about issues that still affect black people of all ages to this day,” senior Gabriela Cabrera said.

It was clear that Mr. Carter’s wisdom reached the student’s hearts deeply from their impressions of the event. They left with a new perspective that will inform their futures. 

“One thing Jeff Carter said that really caught my eye was when he answered my question about colorism in the black community. He talked about how this problem was deeply rooted in the black community since way back,” freshman Selina Liu commented.

As a result of the enthusiasm for this event, the Racial Justice Institute plans to hold similar events in the future. They plan to invite more speakers to spark more conversation among the students.

“When we know our history, we hopefully will not repeat our mistakes. Simply put, our ancestors taught us ‘you have to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going,’” Mr. Carter concluded.