The scene that took place outside the HUB-Robeson Center Saturday afternoon resembled a re-enactment from the 1960s civil rights movement.

For those involved in the fourth annual Community Now More Than Ever conference, sponsored by the Penn State Black Caucus, it was a way to express their views of the current racial issues on campus.

Shouts of "1,2,3,4 -- freedom's what we're fighting for" and "5,6,7,8 -- no more hating at Penn State" could be heard as more than 100 students, campus leaders and guest speakers continued their march along East College Avenue to Old Main.

This year's theme, Building Black Institutions in Higher Education, focused on examining the higher education system to create social and systematic change in the college community.

Earl Holt (senior-political science), a Black Caucus member, said the rally was a small but necessary part in the struggle for equality on campus.

"I believe this rally is integral to bring attention because often times racism, diversity, lack of diversity and educational equity is often ignored," Holt said.

Black Caucus President Ed Smith said the conference was a way to help campus groups such as Black Caucus and Undergraduate Student Government work together to discuss change.

The conference held panel discussions and workshops covering topics such as women fighting racism and building better black institutions.

"We wanted to kind of intersect with different groups who are doing progressive work on campus," Smith said.

Following the march, the rally at Old Main featured several guest speakers voicing their concerns about equality at Penn State for blacks.

Maulana Karenga, creator of pan-African cultural holiday Kwanzaa, explained the seven principles of the holiday and how they relate the struggle of equality on and off college communities. Karenga also stressed the importance of educating others of current issues. "Isn't knowledge wealth in itself? [It's] a key to our liberation and a weapon in our struggle to enhance the human condition," Karenga said.

Assata Richards, a Penn State alumna and former Black Caucus member, told the participants in the rally that they had the power and the potential to make changes in their communities.

"If we could challenge Penn State, we could challenge the world," she said.

Richards added it was the students' responsibility to educate and inform their community about their right to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

"I don't want to ride no donkey," Richards said. "We need a new system."

Jeffrey Johnson, former National Director of Youth, College and Young Division for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also agreed that the black community had to be engaged in action in current issues such as the election.

"We, as the black community, cannot be tricked and/or pimped," Johnson said.

Johnson said the goal of the conference was to "to be able to control our own destiny and provide for our children what we didn't have."

Yasmin Hernandez, painter, installation artist and Cornell University graduate, said there is often a trend after graduation where individuals become comfortable in their new careers and forget the movements for change they had started during college. "How many people are going to leave the campus and forget?" Hernandez said. "You cannot lose sight of everyone around you."