On July 31, 2015, an evening town hall meeting titled "Saving Our Sons and Daughters: All Lives Matter" was part of the 2015 Urban League National Conference at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.
An eight-person panel stressed the importance of mentoring youths in minority communities, actively listening to them, ensuring they graduate from college and creating a community support system in which all members hold one another accountable. Jonathan Pollard, Fort Lauderdale attorney and President of The National Black Lawyers Association: 40 Under 40 was one of the panelists. Pollard focuses his practice on competition law, but also is heavily involved in civil rights issues, particularly education and police brutality. Pollard is currently working on a training program that will educate young people on how to navigate police encounters. Pollard plans to implement the program through his law firm but also through The National Black Lawyers Association.
In an hour's time, a crowd of about 1,000 went from sitting with their eyes glued to a poignant slideshow displaying riots and police-involved shootings to giving a 16-year-old boy from Broward County a standing ovation as his newly appointed mentor swung an arm around his shoulders with the promise of making him a principal for change.
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