When Barack Obama took office, pundits across the country were predicting a transition to a post-racial America.

And while Obama's win was historic in many ways, the issue of race and discrimination hasn't been solved. If anything, it's gotten worse.

From countering racism from Tea Party leaders to fighting Arizona's discriminatory SB 1070 law to battling for marriage equality from state to state, activists across the country fight every day for equal rights. But it's not enough. For too long these have been seen as separate issues instead of different manifestations of the same problem.

Next week, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell, SEIU's Eliseo Medina, writer and activist Tim Wise, and Hip-Hop Caucus President Rev. Lennox Yearwood will join us for a panel discussion called Civil Rights in the Modern Era. Open Left's Mike Lux will moderate.

We hope you'll join us for this important discussion.

During the ’50s and ’60s, the civil rights fight resulted in an incredible amount of activism and movement building. That work has continued for decades but is far from finished.

During this lunchtime session, we'll look at some of today's civil rights battles -- from immigration to LGBT equality to traditional civil rights issues -- and talk about ways to unify our efforts and continue the fight for equality for all.

It may require re-examining some of our assumptions and going outside of our respective comfort zones. It's a discussion we have to have -- openly and honestly -- if we're ever going to break down the walls that exist in our country.

Thousands of activists are making plans now to join us next week to talk about important issues and organize for how to fight for progressive causes.