The Jubilee Bridge Crossing was an enjoyable experience.

It was my first Jubilee experience and one that I will never forget. I cherished the opportunity to hear stories from the people who actually participated in Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965.

I heard stories from my grandmother and uncles about the Civil Rights Era, but none of them participated in the Selma to Montgomery march.  Nothing compared to hearing the foot soldiers discuss the struggle for voting rights and equality.

From the Foot Soldier breakfast to the Coretta and King Unity Breakfast, everything I covered over the weekend was a learning experience.

The 14^th annual Kappa Alpha Psi Golf Tournament at the Valley Grande Golf Course had low numbers, but I liked how tournament officials pressed forward as if they had 100 golfers competing. I believe the early morning rainstorm kept people from participating.

Tournament officials, especially Larry Vasser and John Solomon, both were already looking ahead to the tournament at next year’s Jubilee.

I enjoyed my conversations at the Foot Soldier breakfast at R.B. Hudson Middle School on March 2. It was a chance to hear the story of Bobby Lee Steward, Clifton Steward, Ira Fairley and Corinne Bryant coming from Marion to join the march in the Queen City.

The King Unity Breakfast at Wallace Community College-Selma on March 3 was equally powerful. A wide smile spread across my face when 11-year-old Azali Fortier, daughter of State Senator Malika Sanders-Fortier during her unity greetings address and urged both races to come together to save the America.

“We need to do something now, we can’t wait until later,” Azali Fortier said. “We need everybody from big to small, nobody is too big, nobody is too small. It can’t just be black people, it can’t just be white people. It will take all of us.”

Rachel West, daughter of School of Discovery (SOD) Principal Cicely Curtis, spoke about her childhood experiences as a foot soldier at the Bridge Award.

It was great to hear voices who never get an opportunity. I’m grateful they made the sacrifice for my generation and those behind me.