In celebration of Black History Month, Students Together Against Racism (STAR), hosted an economic summit featuring speaker Bill Tate, founder of the National Mutual Support Association (NaMuSA), on Feb. 1 in University Center 108.

Tate is an active member in the economic empowerment movement. “This movement is going to replace civil rights,” Tate said. “Civil rights are dead; the issues now fall into economics.”

According to Tate, economic control is what causes most of the problems associated with racism today. “Racism is about controlling, and economic rights are the answer to neutralizing racism and differential treatment.”

In his speech, Tate urged students to learn and take advantage of their economic rights stating that “the wealthy are wealthy because they use these rights.” The economic movement is about showing people that in order to use their economic rights “people must come together and use the system that we (use) here in the United States-capitalism.”

According to NaMuSA’s Web site (www.namusa.info), when low to moderate income community members are not experiencing the quality of life that other communities have achieved, it is necessary that they come together to structure themselves.

Kevin Walker, apprentice to Tate, attended the speech. “I think it is important for everyone to realize that every individual has everything they need to be wealthy in this society.”

This economic empowerment program was scheduled around Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

According to STAR coordinator Akosua Favors, a senior sociology major at Northern Kentucky University, “Martin Luther King Jr.’s most important speech before he died was about economics. We felt like with this being an economic movement and continuing the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., this would be the most effective program for students.”