LAKELAND, Fla. — The Lakeland City Commission is working to improve race relations.
What You Need To Know
- Lakeland city commission, activists hold forum
- Groups, speakers, officials discussed race relations
- Officials say another forum will be held in the fall
Commissioners and civil rights activists held a forum Monday night for the community at the RP Funding Center.
The discussion ranged from the protests taking place across the country in recent weeks as well as changes activists would like to see in the Lakeland Police Department.
"(What we) seek first to understand and then be understood," said Commissioner Scott Franklin. "And I think tonight is about understanding and I’m really looking forward to going back on our notes that I have and I look forward to the next steps."
Some of the activists said they hope the meeting is the start of change.
"It really seems like the people wanted to come together for positive change," said Jackie Vickers, 2nd Vice President of the Lakeland NAACP. "And social justice and most importantly I really loved the push for voting."
City officials said they plan to hold a second race relations forum in the fall.