NAACP: General Meeting 4/2/11

On March 5, 2011, I wrote about the NAACP: A New Day, with the election of an executive board that immediately appeared to have hit a MAJOR speed bump.  Thanks to the general media, particularly the newspapers, who clamored to get readers' attention when the Associated Press ran a story about the Worcester Branch electing an openly gay President, Ravi Perry, Ph.D.  The volume has since been turned down a few decibels, but as the old saying goes.....just wait and see, because the truth will become crystal clear.


I'm sure a few executive board meetings took place since the elections, and now it's time that the NAACP Worcester Branch hold its first general meeting, which will take place on Saturday, April 2, 2011.

The open meeting is being held at the YWCA, located at 1 Salem Square, Worcester, MA 01608 from 2-4 p.m., in the 2nd Floor boardroom.

Some items on the agenda are: The general vision for the branch, along with strategies to reach the branch's goal.

Folks that aren't able to attend the meeting are encouraged to contact the branch with questions or suggestions by sending an email to naacpworcester2058[at]gmail.com.

NAACP: A New Day

L-R: Ravi Perry(President), Calvin Hill(Third VP), Andrea Park(Second VP), NaTonia Trammell(Secretary), April Slater(Asst. Secretary), Veronica Thomas(Treasurer), Elizabeth St.John(Executive Board Member), Dorothy Ware(Executive Board Member), Cedric Arno(First VP)

Today marked a new beginning for the NAACP in Worcester, which has laid dormant for over 8-years.  Well, that all changed today with elections taking place at the Worcester Public Library.

What struck me as a huge plus, was the fact that the people that attended the meeting and elections were from various walks of life and showed just how diverse Worcester is.

There were women and men of various racial backgrounds, and people, genuinely, wanted to know what the National Office of the NAACP was planning to do with changing the perception that the NAACP was only for Blacks.  While the National Office has a game plan of what's going to be done on the national level to change those perceptions, there's a void at the local level that will take creative minds and a willingness by the local chapter to do things differently.

Allow me to share the background of the NAACP:

The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln's birth.

And with a principal objective,"to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP seeks to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic processes."

I'm sure I'll post some other articles about the NAACP, the upcoming meetings and opportunities for you to become an active member of the chapter.

Here are two videos that I filmed with my phone.

Announcing the winners of the elections:



Swearing in of newly-elected members:

NAACP: 'Drive to 50' (Worcester Reactivation)

The NAACP, whose roots are deeply intertwined in the fabric of Massachusetts, celebrated its 100-year Anniversary last year on February 12, 2009.


Today, with the heightened awareness of race and ethnicity, not only in the United States but the entire world, we need a platform to have conversations along these lines, and those involving the myriad of issues facing people from all walks of life.  The NAACP is a place where everyone is welcome and encouraged to discuss topics such as the economy, joblessness, homelessness and education.

At the dawn of the 20th century, a group of black and white people -- men and women, Jews and Gentiles -- issued "a call for a national conference on the Negro question."

Tomorrow, December 8, 2010, from 6-9 PM at the Crescent Cafe (located at 69 Canterbury Street) the NAACP Worcester Branch will be holding their "Drive to 50".  

Membership:

Adult members - $30.00
Youth members- Ages 20 and Under - $15.00


This is an opportunity to reestablish the NAACP Worcester Chapter as a vehicle for improvement of the economic, educational, political and social justice status of people in Worcester. 

Shirley Sherrod: Me, a racist?

When the story about Shirley Sherrod, the now-former USDA Director of Rural Development in Georgia, hit CNN, I said, "Here we go, again."  This time though, I knew a little more about the story because of reports from relatives who had first-hand knowledge of the NAACP meeting, where Ms. Sherrod spoke.

I was surprised that CNN didn't do a good job of "vetting" the entire video.  Because anyone who were able to hear, would be able to tell that Ms. Sherrod was sharing a story about her own prejudices and how she had to overcome those.

Well, the story hit Fox News and was subsequently picked up by CNN and we know that Ms. Sherrod was forced to resign and the NAACP was quick to label her a "racist".

Thomas Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture, called for Ms. Sherrod to resign and to do so immediately.  Well, now he looks like an ass.



Now, the NAACP is saying that they've been "duped" by the Tea Party Movement and that the issue is really about the fighting taking place between the NAACP and the Tea Party.  Well, now NAACP President, Benjamin Jealous, looks like an ass.

So, who does that leave laughing from the sidelines?  Yep, you guessed it.........the Tea Party Movement!




Update: Vilsack apologizes to Shirley Sherrod.