Although our society has lived and learned lessons of coexistence, there is more we can reach for, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Wednesday night.
"We're the dream fulfilled, but it is still in work," he said. "We've learned a difficult lesson. We've learned how to survive apart. We must now learn to live together," he said.
Jackson spoke to a full house at John R. Emens Auditorium, addressing current issues in the U.S. and what younger generations can do to change those issues.
"Dream bigger than the status quo, dream bigger than your circumstances. Dream bigger than the time in which you've lived, dream bigger than your life," he said.
Jackson, a civil rights activist and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, talked about civil rights and how they have become an issue because of the way they are applied.
"This is the land of the free for some, not so free for others," he said. "We can be a better America."
Jackson called for action from the student body by voting and becoming more influential in politics.
Jackson spent a great amount of time discussing big government as well as America's banks. The issue of putting lofty interest rates on student loans brought whispers in the crowd.
Freshman special education major Bailey Doyle said Jackson had a positive effect while pointing out the conflicts among the community,
"I thought [the speech] was great. He covered a lot of issues and things that have not been fixed in our society," she said.
He also reiterated how the young adult vote is so influential and how students will use their right to vote as an opportunity to help shape the issue of loan interest. He focused on "globalizing mind and globalizing human rights" to help start the change.
The speech did not have as much of an affect on the president of the Black Student Association Deontae Vaughn as the Q-and-A after the speech, he said.
"This girl asked him about faith among students, and he wrapped his answer with a prayer," Vaughn said. "This talks about how he still has strong faith."
The Black Student Association was one of the 13 Ball State organizations that sponsored the event.
Vaughn said he thought the speech became relevant to the entire student body when Jackson talked about student's participation in politics.
"I thought that the fact that we're in Black History Month was what made the speech relevant," he said. "But it actually became relevant for everyone as a whole, because he talked about how students should participate in politics."
Jackson also touched on the earthquake in Haiti and how such mass numbers were killed in "the first free black country on Earth." His words helped change some student's perspectives on the country and their current hardship.
"When he spoke about Haiti and how much history it had behind it's existence, it made me want to do something," senior Angel Remberdt said. "It wanted me to help advance America, in order to help other countries."
Jackson worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in his campaign for civil rights and was present during King's assassination. Jackson also took part in two presidential campaigns, earning 3.5 million votes in his first campaign and 7 million in his second.
Towards the end of the speech, Jackson had the audience repeat after him.
"Beyond color and culture is character," he said.
Jackson closed his speech pointing out the good things that have happened in this country, and that he expects good things for the future.
"Because you live, there is a better tomorrow. God bless you," he said.
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