Prominent leaders in the community decided to spend Martin Luther King, Jr. Day planning ways to make changes in the Valley.

They began with discussing how to help young people avoid a life of criminal activity as well as finding opportunities for education with access to more resources. 

"Most recently, we actually have been trying to lobby for the Youngstown City Schools to put their drug education program back into the schools," said Jaladah Aslam, president of the Youngstown-Warren Black Caucas. "For some reason or another, we're not really sure how it happened, it was removed when everything else was going on with the CEO takeover, and with the school district changing plans a couple times," she said.

In addition to helping the young people in that way, they also want to help adults who have lost their driver licenses get them back.

They're looking to move a suspended license intervention prevention program, (SLIP), into the court system.

The program allows those who have their licenses suspended due to unfair ticketing fines or being unable to pay their fines, a chance at getting their licenses back faster. 

Dr. Virginia Dee Banks, with the Northeast Ohio Infectious Disease Associates led discussions on vaccine importance and easing the minds of those who were apprehensive about it. 

"We have 31 million doses of vaccines distributed, and 12,000 plus people have received the first dose," said Dr. Banks. "One of the problems, too, is that those individuals who have the ability to get the vaccine don't wanna take it," she said. 

The group later discussed the importance of figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. in our community and how they will continue to find ways to push his agenda throughout the Valley.