William Barber Calls On Audience to ‘Stand Up, Speak Out’
Bishop William Barber II delivers his address at The LInks Luncheon on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City. Photo by AC JosepH Media
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
ATLANTIC CITY – Dr. Bishop William Barber, one of the country’s leading civil rights leaders, delivered a message on Saturday (Oct. 4) that called for his audience to speak out as many hard-fought gains appear to be rolling back by the current administration.
Barber appeared at the Atlantic City Chapter of The Links Afternoon luncheon at Harrah’s Resort Waterfront Conference Center. In the front of 500 people, which included New Jersey Civil Rights Division director Yolanda Melville and Atlantic City council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz, Barber spoke on the them, addressed the crown under the theme of “Link Up, Stand Up, and Speak Up.”
Barber did just that when he won national acclaim for his weekly Moral Mondays protests at the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013 as a statement against a Republican remake of state government.
The weekly demonstrations drew thousands and became a template for other governmental protests around the country. Barber expressed his concern for what is going on at the federal level under the leadership of President Donald Trump and control of both branches of government by the Republicans.
At the beginning of his speech, Barber lauded The Links organization for its growth and focusing on uplifting the African American community, drawing applause from the audience.
“Their vision and organization would fill gaps in community service,” Barber said of The Links founders. “Keeping in the vision of your founders, you have remained committed to your core values of civic education, Lord knows we need that today, cultural enrichment with a focus on serving people of African descent.”
Barber, who was introduced by Atlantic City Chapter Links President Sonya Harris, is the pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Greensboro, N.C. He has been awarded the 2015 Puffin Award and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award.
Barber has served as a visiting professor of Public Theology and Activism at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and was a senior fellow at Auburn Seminary.
The Links, Inc. is an international, nonprofit established in 1946 and is one of the country’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other people of African ancestry.
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