by John Reid

Little Union Baptist Church in Dumfries is one of the most important landmarks in Prince William County’s history. On Saturday, it was where a pivotal town hall meeting took place. The bi-partisan gathering featured several candidates running for their respective offices. The theme was “Let Us Be Clear about Education, Business, and Social Action.”

The Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. Omicron Zeta Sigma Alumni Chapter hosted the event. Ray Woodrick was the host, and Sean McDonald moderated the questions. More than 20 candidates were given the opportunity to address the voters as early voting is underway. They were given three minutes each to speak with the diverse base of voters and present why they should represent their parties in both the primary and general election races come November. Mario Eckles, who is running against incumbent Justin Wilk in the Potomac School District, was not present but his wife Angela, a former schoolteacher, presented in his absence. Several incumbents presented their record as to why they should be re-elected, while those looking to unseat them talked about their experience and what they would bring to the county.

Once the presentations were completed, it was time for the panel questions to be asked. The questions were based on education, economic development, and social action. The latter question centered on how candidates would get young adults ages 18-23 more involved in the community. Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D-31), who is running for the 29th Senatorial District, stressed the importance of investing in public education.

“The more we focus on giving young people the resources they need, the stronger our communities will be,” she said.

After the panel session ended, Little Union Baptist Church Senior Pastor Michael Sessoms addressed the attendees and candidates, asking those who run for office to keep their congregations informed after the elections.

“Don’t just come to the churches during election season,” said Sessoms, “visit us afterwards to keep us informed as to what’s going on.”

There were several candidates who attended who were not on the panel, such as Republican Senatorial candidate Maria Martin, who spoke with the PW Perspective afterwards. “These are the town halls where people need to come to inform themselves,” she said, “to learn what politics is all about. It gives them the chance to see what the candidates are bringing to the table.”

Phi Beta Sigma President Young talked about what it meant to have the candidates come together. “The men of Sigma have a deep desire to serve the community,” he said. “This is our opportunity for them to inform others about political advocacy in their communities. It is important that the work we do in our community is being done through a lens of equity, with the goal of delivering the most impact to the demographics of our brotherhood and those we serve in Prince William County.”

Early voting ends on June 17, with the primaries on June 20. For more information on where you can vote, please visit the Virginia Department of Elections website. To learn more about the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, visit their website at http://ozs1914.org