CINCINNATI�Support for the Million Family March continues to grow as the march�s national director found during a whirlwind visit here, sponsored by the Cincinnati chapter of the National African American Leadership Summit, the Million Family March Local Organizing Committee, Muhammad Mosque No. 5, the Coalition of Concerned Citizens, the Avondale Community Council, and a host of supportive groups, leaders, and community activists.

After a day of media interviews, meetings with students and congregational prayer with the Muslim community, march director Min. Benjamin Muhammad joined a racially diverse panel to discuss "Rebuilding The Family," the theme of Cincinnati�s first Million Family March town hall meeting. The purpose of the Oct. 16 march is to focus attention on the spiritual and public policy changes needed to strengthen families.

A panel of experts and leaders�composed of Blacks, whites, Hispanics, and Koreans�discussed family and its relationship to economics, education, health, law and justice, grassroots activism, politics, religion, social issues and student leadership. Moderator Rev. Purnell Spicer, regional director of the Interdenominational Conference For Clergy, introduced the panel to the crowd at New Friendship Baptist Church.

From Jim Clingman, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce, and Mark Pastor, co-owner of Black World Products International and promoter of the annual Black Book Fair, the audience was told economic strength is vital to keeping families strong. Other presenters, like Attorney Lisa Crawford and Attorney Margaret Allen, focused on the need to improve male-female relations to keep families together. "Many families are dysfunctional because women are being wrongly taught that women don�t need men," said Atty. Crawford, while Atty. Allen voiced concern that government�s legislative authority is "destroying the authority of the family."

Problems in the criminal justice system, one of several areas addressed by the Million Family March National Agenda, were also the focus of the May 5 panel discussions. Speakers noted the disproportionate impact incarceration has on Black men, women and children and people of color.

"There is nothing more important than the family. The family is God�s first line of defense against evil," said Rev. Damon Lynch Jr., whose concern about high incarceration rates for females led his church to craft a program that helps 25 women either leave jail or go home for visits every week.

Cecil Thomas, director of Cincinnati�s Human Relations Department and a former president of the Sentinels, a Black police association, and activist Nathaniel Livingston, Jr., talked about the problem of police brutality, and called for greater community activism. Medical doctors Kent Robinson and Keith Melvin, who is a prostate cancer survivor, urged men to be concerned about their health, and Baba Curt Standifer, of the Kujichagulia Learning Center for Boys, said parents must " turn off the TVs, radios, and videos and get involved in their children�s lives."

"We are not a whole family as long as some members of that family are treated unequally," conceded Councilman Todd Portune, a white politician who called for reforming government that is not family friendly. Councilwoman Alicia Reese expressed support for the Million Family March, saying she attended the Million Man March, which included two busloads of men from her church.

Hector Feleciano, president of Latinos En Accion, a student organization at the University of Cincinnati, Rev. Brian Block, a white pastor of the Family Federation for World Peace, and Rev. William Land, pastor of the Freeman United Church of Christ, also participated in the meeting.

Among VIPS in the audience were Rev. John Mwarnba, who is from Sierra Leone, West Africa and is pastor of the Ohio Family Church; and Korean bishop Seung Yeon Doo, a regional director of the Family Federation for World Peace. Also in the audience was a great, great grandson of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Min. Benjamin, in a closing statement, thanked the other panelists, and the media for their participation and coverage of the event. The entire meeting was broadcast live over WAIF-FM radio, recorded for a later broadcast over religious radio station WGVC-AM, and videotaped for broadcast over Public Access TV Channel 4.

At the conclusion of the program, special awards were presented to Mr. Clingman and Atty. Kenneth L. Lawson, for their strong stands against injustice. Min. Benjamin was given a special award for his work as national director of the 1995 Million Man March.

Min. Benjamin initially started the day with a press conference at the local Urban League building, attended by reporters from two local TV stations, the Cincinnati Post, the Cincinnati Herald, and the Over-The-Rhine newspapers, along with radio stations WAIF-FM and WIZF-FM.

He told reporters, "The Million Family March is God-centered and Almighty God (Allah) has called for the Million Family March through the Honorable Minister Farrakhan, and the call is not only to Black people, but the call extends to all people."

Immediately following the press conference, Min. Benjamin appeared on the "Lincoln Ware Show," a nationally-acclaimed radio talk show broadcast live over WCIN-AM, a Black-owned radio station.

Winding up the day, Min. Benjamin and members of the Nation of Islam joined the followers of Imam W. Deen Mohammed for jumu�ah prayer, as Imam Mohammed�s followers held their Fifth Ohio Shura Conference. Later he visited the University of Cincinnati, where he addressed students and answered their questions.

(Reported by Donald Shabazz Muhammad.)