Five questions with ... Toni Cowper of Carrier Mills

<b>Q. Why is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy important today?</b>

He gave us a voice and he taught us how to stand up for ourselves in a peaceful way. The lessons he left us and the example he set showed us how we can make a difference.

<b>Q. What do you think his most important contribution is?</b>

The way he brought people together. Not just black people, but people of all races. He was able to get people to listen to what he had to say, and he was well-respected.

<b>Q. Are we doing enough as a society to honor MLK's vision?</b>

No, I don't think we are. I was shocked when I talked to my godchildren about him when they were younger, and they hardly knew anything about him. I don't feel like they teach about him in school like they used to, and school-aged children don't know much about him other than they get a day out of school.

<b>Q. What other steps should we take to improve racial equality?</b>

We need to communicate more across the races. It won't hurt to have more representation at different levels that more closely resembles the population.

<b>Q. Is racism on the decline, or more prevalent than it was 10 years ago?</b>

Sadly, I would say racism is at least about the same. It may be more on the rise, even. It seems like there's more hate out there than there used to be, when there needs to be more love for one another.