by: Kayla Smith 

Posted: Jul 10, 2022 / 09:56 PM CDT 

Updated: Jul 10, 2022 / 10:16 PM CDT

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – The shooting death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker at the hands of police sparked protests across the country, leading many to call for change. Madison County advocates are working with local students to start a conversation about racial justice.

The Madison County Remembrance Project seeks to reconcile through remembrance, and project leaders said, by studying history, we can find solutions to address racial injustice in the present.

“It’s important to have the kinds of conversations that put history into a context that’s informative but also provides us with a warning, and also with an opportunity to reconcile,” said Madison County Remembrance Project leader David Person.

From protests sparked by police brutality to debates about how to teach history in classrooms, the nation is engaged in conversations about race.

“The Madison County Remembrance Project is trying very intentionally reconcile or be a part of that reconciliation that happening in our country between our white and black histories,” Madison County Remembrance Project Board Member Michael Goldsmith. 

The Madison County Remembrance Project partnered with the Equal Justice Initiative to host an essay contest for high school students. Participants examined a racial justice issue, its historical context, and potential solutions for the future.

Essay winners discussed topics including police violence and the healthcare inequality that emerged during the pandemic.

“Hopefully, it gives them something to think about in regards to what we need to avoid in the future,” Person said. 

Project organizers said the students involved have the potential to find solutions to racial injustice in the future.