Nine ACT-SO students
competed in the categories of modern and contemporary dance,
short story, written and performance poetry,
vocal-contemporary, photography, filmmaking, instrumental
and classic music. The students performed well and four of
the Toledo-area students were selected to perform in the
closing ACT-SO ceremony.
The Toledo Branch was
represented by 13 delegates who participated in workshops
addressing the areas of inequality facing African Americans
that are the focus of NAACP’s work. These are legislative
priorities for the 115th Congress. The five core
“game changers” are:
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Economic Sustainability:
Every person will have equal opportunity to achieve economic
success, sustainability, and financial security.
-
Education:
A free, high quality, public education for all. Every child
will receive equitably-funded, public pre-K and K-12
education followed by diverse opportunities for accessible,
affordable vocational or university education.
-
Health:
Health equality for all Americans including a healthy life
and high-quality health care. Everyone will have equal
access to affordable health care and racially disparate
health outcomes will end.
-
Public Safety and Criminal Justice:
Equitable dispensation of justice for all. Disproportionate
incarceration, racially motivated policing strategies, and
racially biased, discriminatory, and mandatory minimum
sentencing will end. Incarceration will be reduced and
communities will be safer. The death penalty will be
abolished at the state and federal level, as well as the
military.
-
Voting Rights and Political Representation: Protect and enhance voting rights
and fair representation. Every American will have free,
open, equal, and protected access to the vote. By protecting
democracy, enhancing equity, and increasing democratic
participation and civic engagement, African Americans will
be proportionally elected to political office.
The Toledo Branch will receive Action Alerts on matters that
are expected to come before the House or the Senate in the
near future and on issues that may arise over the course of
the Congress that will impact our community. Chairman
Russell and interim President Johnson have charged all
branches to become more relevant as they schedule forums and
town hall meetings across the United States to address
issues of concern for African Americans.
In addition branches will be charged to engage the youth and
college branches to participate and help lead the way to
resolve issues. The Toledo Branch has established youth and
college board members to reach out to colleges and
universities within and around our community. Meetings will
begin soon.
For more information follow the Toledo Branch on Facebook @
naacptoledo for updates on these topics. Toledo Branch
holds monthly meetings every second Tuesday, 7:00 P.M. in
the African American Legacy Project building at 1326
Collingwood.
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