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New MLK Commission leader discusses goals, plans Friday, May 23, 2008 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The embattled state commission that seeks to promote nonviolence and racial harmony could revitalize itself by getting more youth involved and by stepping up community activities, the panel's new executive director said Thursday. A public relations and marketing firm is working on improving the panel's tarnished public image, DuShun Scarbrough told the executive committee of the Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. "With the help and support of Arkansas businesses and residents, we can serve as change agents by becoming more involved with your youth's education and problems they face from day-to-day," Scarbrough told the committee. "We must solidify our young people's intellectualism and elevate our effectiveness as parents, educators and role models." The commission has a history of turmoil and Scarbrough, hired as executive director in March, is named in a fraud case the state Insurance Department filed against his cousins. During Thursday's meeting, Scarbrough said one of his goals is to expand the number King Teams around Central Arkansas. The teams are comprised of youth who do service and work projects while promoting the commission. He also said he is developing a new program that will nurture leaders, promote education and push for diversity. Scarbrough said The Design Group of Little Rock was developing a potential media campaign for the beleaguered commission, designed to "move forward and push the effort into promoting Dr. King's legacy. Any ad campaign would have to be approved by the full commission. "We want people to know we are revitalized ... that there is a new director and that we welcome anyone who wants to participate in this program," Scarbrough said. "It's easy for critics ... to say, let's shut it down. Well, they're wanting to shutdown something they don't understand," he said. "It is a worthy cause and we want to promote racial equality." The commission, established in 1994, fell into turmoil in 2004 when a faction tried unsuccessfully to oust the longtime director, state Sen. Tracy Steele, D-Little Rock. When Steele resigned in November 2006, infighting erupted over his successor. Last year, a member filed a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of some commission appointees. The suit, which was dropped last month, held up future appointments to the panel. For months the commission could not manage a quorum to hold meetings. This month's meeting was canceled because not enough of the board's 26 members showed up to conduct business. Gov. Mike Beebe called the commission an "embarrassment" to the state and suggested it be reconstituted. After Scarbrough was hired in March, he asked the state police investigate possible theft of property from the commission. A state audit released this month found no major financial problems. Last month, the Insurance Department alleged in a court filing that Scarbrough made misrepresentations to an insurance carrier on five accident claims between 1996 and 2000. Scarbrough was not named as a defendant in the department's lawsuit against his relatives. |
