With all the current upheaval of racial, political, sexual and anti-violence values, I find that it is all somehow familiar, with some noteworthy differences.

I am all for positive change, just as I was in the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s, and still am.聽I have seen enough of history in 60+ years to see it repeating itself again.

Young people and old alike are speaking out and marching against what they feel 鈥� and I agree 鈥� are the many social injustices that have been placed on the people of color in this country.

Young people and old alike are speaking out and marching against what they feel 鈥� and I agree 鈥� are the many social injustices that have been placed on the people of color in this country. Many are also calling for an end to violence of all sorts against anyone, regardless of color or sexual identity. Others are calling for the elimination of guns and police funding, while others are calling for non-violence and the increase of funding for training police officers and public officials. Much attention is being given to women鈥檚 suffrage and the 100^th anniversary of women getting the right to vote.

Many readers may not know much about the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s. Many others are either clueless or have forgotten about Vietnam and how that war changed this country. The current war on COVID-19 and the suppression of minorities in this country, hearkens back to that earlier time. I see so many similarities of then to now with only the perspectives or subjects being different, that it is quite remarkable.

Back then, younger people of all colors protested against the war and what they felt was the racial injustice of the high number of blacks getting drafted without the opportunity to get a college deferment or run to Canada to avoid the draft, like many of their young white counterparts who were burning flags and draft cards. While many of that time were calling for peace, drugs and free love, others were protesting and marching for and against their desired political candidates. Many people were totally against that war and were at war with those who supported it.

Those were turbulent times and many marches that started out peacefully ended up violent. Angry people resorted to violence, looting and burning entire city blocks of their own neighborhoods to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with their lot in this great country.

An awful difference between that time 鈥� the Vietnam era 鈥� and this, is that everyone was upset with the terrible loss of officially more than 47,434 American troops due to direct combat, and an additional 10,786 deaths in that theater of war that were not battle-related. That is a total of 58,220, all dead over a period of roughly 11 years of armed conflict in Vietnam, with lots of rebellion, strife and fear here at home. In these COVID times, however, there doesn鈥檛 seem to be many marching against the needless deaths of more than 185,000 and counting. That is more than three times the number of people who died during the Vietnam War, and this in only a few months of 2020!

What I do see is too many people purposely not wearing face coverings to uncaringly demonstrate their right to personal freedom while risking everyone around them.

Back in the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s, no one seemed comfortable with any of the politicians unless they mirrored their own opinions. Presidents changed, but many voters felt like they were voting against the lesser of two evils and a lot felt that whoever was elected, the best they could hope for was that the newly elected would at least maintain the country and not let it slide any further downhill.

Given recent political climes and the opposites campaigning for the vote in this coming election, I would say that we are still in a war of death, dying and life-threatening tensions, whether it is with COVID-19 or the tug of war of politics.

Roy Lenfest is the primary maintenance technician for the fitness equipment at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Recreation and Wellness Center. He can be reached at Roy.Lenfest@ucf.edu.

The聽麻豆原创 Forum聽is a weekly series of opinion columns from faculty, staff and students who serve on a panel for a year. A new column is posted each Wednesday on 麻豆原创 Today and then broadcast on W麻豆原创-FM (89.9) between 7:50 and 8 a.m. Sunday. Opinions expressed are those of the columnists, and are not necessarily shared by the 麻豆原创.

Juneteenth 鈥� the June 19 commemoration of the belated announcement in Texas of the Emancipation Proclamation 鈥� is a celebration of knowledge received. But it is also a reminder of the power of the second question.

President Abraham Lincoln, a person in power, determined that Union troops and slave owners were responsible for providing information to enslaved people. But these two groups of people had different thoughts about the necessity to relay this information.

On Sept. 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom to all Confederate-held enslaved peoples effective Jan. 1, 1863.

On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed a community in Galveston, Texas, that Lincoln had freed enslaved Americans in rebel states two and a half years earlier.

Why such a delay? The lag time was due to a provision that made it the responsibility of both Union troops and slave owners to inform enslaved African peoples. In some remote places where Union troops were absent, it was difficult to enforce this order.

Today we continue to celebrate in tribute to those who waited, unaware that the waiting was over.

Texas was particularly unaffected by the Emancipation Proclamation. Many slave owners from other southern states even moved there to avoid relinquishing their ownership and protect their perceived right to prosper. However, in the process, they withheld knowledge that prevented these enslaved peoples from making informed decisions about their lives.

What鈥檚 significant about this unofficial holiday is how the newly freed people responded to the knowledge received. Instead of focusing on disappointment, dismay or anger for the delay in receiving this information, they celebrated. Instead of languishing in the injustice, they made informed decisions designed to change the course of their lives.

It is a significant place in time for Black people 鈥� as well as all people 鈥撯�攂ecause it marks a point in this country where racial healing could begin.

Juneteenth is significant for a nation living up to its creed: All men and women are created equal.

Today, we continue to celebrate in tribute to those who waited, unaware that the waiting was over. We celebrate the knowledge they received in that moment.

We remember their sacrifices, for these sacrifices provide this country with important lessons for today and our future. We celebrate the reality that knowledge is power. We celebrate freedom.

We celebrate our membership in this one nation, united.

Theodorea Regina Berry is 麻豆原创鈥檚 newly appointed vice provost of Student Learning and Academic Success and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies. In her role, she drives efforts to offer students in her college robust programs while supporting university-wide initiatives to advance undergraduate education, take learning beyond the classroom, and promote greater student success. Berry works closely with the university鈥檚 provost, fellow deans and leaders of academic units to create and sustain a learning environment that enables students to thrive academically, professionally and civically.

As a multimedia journalist in Charlottesville, Virginia 鈥� the site of a fatal 2017 confrontation between white supremacists and counter-protesters 鈥� covering the George Floyd protests now have been peaceful compared to many other cities in the United States.

When I was a 麻豆原创 student, I would never have guessed what I would be covering within the first three years of my career in TV news. I鈥檓 grateful to be in a career where I can continue to tell these stories and share these messages on a wider platform.

The first of many recent protests in Charlottesville started May 29 near the University of Virginia. People lined the sidewalks near UVA Hospital holding signs to support justice for Floyd.

In each person, I saw sadness. I saw anger. I saw fear. Most importantly, I saw their mission for justice.

The bigger protest was scheduled for May 30. As a reporter, I felt anxiety about the end result of the protest. Watching some of the other marches turn violent across the country 鈥� and some where reporters were injured 鈥� I felt nervous. I couldn鈥檛 help but plan for every scenario.

When I received the call from another reporter to meet him downtown, my stomach dropped. I rushed to my car and went to the Charlottesville Police Department, where most of the protesters were meeting.

I noticed hundreds of cars with their flashers on and signs heading toward the police department. I quickly found a safe place to park and discovered the cars were part of the protest, peacefully demonstrating with signs out their windows to practice social distancing.

The protest started at 3 p.m. As I walked toward the police department, I started hearing chants echo through the street. I looked up and saw hundreds of people marching down Market Street toward the Sprint Pavilion. I ran towards the crowd with my camera, tripod, and backpack to capture the scene as it was unfolding.

Not knowing what possible dangers to expect in a time when journalists have sometimes become targets, I am feeling more empowered to use the lessons I learned from school to share the community鈥檚 truth.

Hundreds of people filled the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, holding signs and chanting: 鈥淏lack Lives Matter.鈥�

It was one of the most emotional protests I鈥檝e covered. In each person, I saw sadness. I saw anger. I saw fear. Most importantly, I saw their mission for justice.

The protests continued through the downtown area as protesters would stop at different locations to do speeches and prayers. The march continued for a mile, until it reached the city鈥檚 Washington Park. People took turns speaking their truths, their experiences, and their hopes for the future.

The protest continued the next day with a rally organized by the Albemarle High School Black Student Union. More than 100 people lined the sidewalk holding signs and chanting. The organizer said she simply wanted people to listen and take the protesters鈥� messages into account.

This experience has shown me more about the importance of journalism, telling stories, and recording history as it unfolds. I welcomed the opportunity and challenge to cover the Charlottesville community, not only in response to the recent national turmoil, but every day.

At the same time, I feel like our jobs as journalists have become a target for some in the community. I often hear statements concerning 鈥渢he media鈥� and the poor coverage of events. That hurts because I know from my own experience that I and many other journalists work diligently to get the facts and report what鈥檚 accurate. That鈥檚 the job I aim to achieve every time I walk in the newsroom.

Covering these recent stories also has opened my eyes to the hurt that people are still experiencing in the community. In every person I can see why they were marching and the desire they have to make change happen. Every step was taken with a purpose to make change happen.

These moments have changed me, both as a reporter and human. I鈥檓 more aware of the suffering our community is experiencing and their demand for change. Every day isn鈥檛 easy, but it鈥檚 worth it in the end.

A key lesson I learned from my classes with Professor Erica Rodriguez Kight is to focus your story on a human element and the rest will fall into place. Little did I know this lesson would make a big impact on me starting out in Charlottesville and during the protests.

Every day I meet wonderful people willing to share their stories with me. Each story carries a lesson and a new perspective to see. No matter how many negative comments I might get about 鈥渢he media,鈥� I know I have succeeded whenever I鈥檓 able to tell a person鈥檚 story.

Because in every person, I can see why they are marching and the desire they have to make change happen.

Every step is taken with a purpose.

This is part of a series of columns about race and racism written by members of the 麻豆原创 community.

Desiree Montilla is a 2017 麻豆原创 graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in radio-TV and a minor in Latin American studies. She is a reporter covering the news in Charlottesville, Virginia, for CBS19 News.