The Neo-Underground Railroad was founded on the same principles of the original Underground Railroad, led by Harriet Tubman on her quest to free an entire people during the 1800s. Once an individual escaped captivity, they were led to freedom through the use of a Network that stretched from the Deep South, all the way to Canada. The Underground Railroad of our generation operates similarly. We too use a Network system to break the shackles of postmodern slavery, which threatens to be more dangerous than the slavery of our ancestors; because we are not in physical chains, but mental ones.
The danger lies in the fact that most people are unaware of the shocking facts that we were exposed to nearly one year ago at the Dr. Carroll F.S. Hardy National Black Student Leadership Development Conference. There, well-respected black leaders, such as Dr. Elaine Jones of the NAACP National Defense Fund and Nikki Giovanni, revealed information regarding the occurrences in modern day America. These were clear indicators that our struggle as a people has only just begun. It was there where we realized that modern day racism is something that exists, however difficult to detect, and we all feel its effects. This causes it to be possibly more insidious because it is now institutionalized, existing as an undercurrent just beneath the surface of personal and professional interactions; it is perpetuated through the media, television shows, music, statements made by politicians, government policies, etc. Our stance is supported by the facts and statistics we have spent months researching and uncovering.
We are an ever-growing network of students of all ages that have come together in a stance against the injustices that continue to occur in everyday life. Our breadth ranges from community colleges in your local neighborhoods to the Ivy Leagues resting on the outskirts of your major cities. Our reach extends from the historical coasts of Virginia and North Carolina, to the frontier lands of Oklahoma, to the sandy beaches of California. We are strong in will, but even stronger in mind. The Neo-Underground Railroad is in effect and we are its Conductors.