Addressing a crowd of nearly two hundred, a half dozen students and other dignitaries spoke passionately about the Constitution and the need to find our individual voices in order to engage in our society.

“Your generation has the chance to be the greatest generation of social and environmental change in the history of our planet,” said Keynote Speaker Rod Kodman, Chief Deputy in the Ventura County’s Public Defender’s Office.

Kodman went on to argue that the freedoms of speech, religion, and press were the most sacred of all the amendments, and that our founding fathers believed in the significance of these rights by placing them at the top of the list.

Kodman understood from an early age the importance of civil liberties and how the law can impact us all.

“My earliest recollections of the Constitution was when I was 14-years-old, having been just placed in a foster home, and had an attorney explained my rights which derived from our Constitution,” said Kodman.

It was a lesson that has stuck with him all of his life and, coupled with a seventh grade civics class mock trial, that inspired him to become an attorney.

“The thing I most hope is the people gathered today will have found my remarks thought provoking and creates an emotional response sufficient enough to have them act in support of civil discourse,” said Kodman.

Moorpark College President Luis Sanchez, who prior to his educational career was also a practicing attorney, has early memories of the Constitution as well.

“The United States Constitution is not a flawless document, it codified slavery and disenfranchised women, but nevertheless magnificent in providing a framework for the most unknowable experiment in self-government and it is brilliant in how it balances liberty and justice,” said Sanchez.“There is room in our democracy for liberals and conservatives, there is room for Democrats, Republicans, independents, and other parties, there is room for blue states and red.

“Our views and power will change over time, in fact every few years, however what we do not have room for is a diminution of our integrity. we must hold our politicians to standards of integrity in the same manner we hold ourselves”

Associated Students President Payton Robinson’s shared a message to attendees that the signing of the Constitution 230 years ago was the best present he could have gotten for his 18th birthday.

“The Constitution offers all of us a better present, our freedom,” said Robinson, jokingly. “The first 18 years growing up under my parents, it was not a constitutional reign, it was more like tyranny.”

The other speakers covered a wide range of topics from racism to D.A.C.A. and from freedom of speech to gender identity politics.

Je’nyce Johnson, President of the Black Student Union, offered words of encouragement.

“It takes all of us working together to get things done,” said Johnson. “It’s important to fight for worthy causes, go make a friend, join a club, go make a difference.”

Sara Martinez, 20, Political Science Major was thankful that there was an environment at Moorpark College where she felt safe to speak.

“Be open minded, we are the next generation, and soon we will making the decisions for our country,” said Martinez.

Several professors were in attendance and in at least one instance with their entire class. Political Science Professor Steven Pfeffer invited his class to join him at the event. “We are at that part of the class where American Politics is being introduced and this is a real world example,” said Pfeffer.

Diane Scrofano, the English professor responsible for the one campus one book project, arranged to play songs from the broadway musical “Hamilton” and addressed the crowd with historical reminders of the importance of the Constitution and the contribution of the original framers.

Those in attendance also received complimentary Italian Ice from Paradise, discounted pizza from Papa Johns and pocket sized Constitutions. The Ventura County Registrars’ office was also there to sign up new voters.

“I thought it went extremely well and I am so happy the Student Voice and Professor Joanna Miller were there to cosponsor the event with my office,” said Sanchez. “I very much appreciated the support of our students at this event.”