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The NAACP Toledo Branch Continues Its Efforts to End
Bigotry, Prejudice and Hatred
We are excited to have a
vehicle to communicate to you through The Sojourner’s Truth
to bring you, our community, dialog in an effort to keep you
aware of concerns and issues as they occur. We will partner
with other organizations and leaders in efforts to make a
positive change. Look for our articles every third week of
each month to keep you informed.
As the world witnessed in
Charlottesville, VA, earlier this summer hatred, intolerance
and bias continue to fester in our nation. We need to stop
the bigotry, prejudice and hatred. Charlottesville was only
the most recent and perhaps the most publicized examples of
how hatred and intolerance can easily lead to destruction,
injury and death in our nation. The most recent FBI report
compiled under the auspices of the Hate Crimes Statistics
Act documented that hate crimes against African
Americans, LGBT community members, Native Americans, Jews
and Muslims all increased in 2015 and continue to be on the
rise.
African Americans continue
to have the highest incidence and mortality rates from
chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
obesity, and issues such as HIV/AIDS continue to overwhelm
the black community more so than any other racial or ethnic
group.
We advocate for better
criminal justice policies to keep our communities safe. And
we currently partner with our Toledo Correctional Brothers
to help bring about change.
At our recent National NAACP
Convention held in July, we were challenged to “Connect the
Dots” by engaging Toledo groups in the fight for civil
rights, to ensure the political, educational, social and
economic equality for all citizens; to achieve equality of
rights and eliminate racial prejudice. During the convention
we reviewed issues provided by various NAACP Branches
throughout the country to be resolved either at the local,
state, or federal levels. Once voted upon resolutions for
actions were sent to the proper channels for resolve.
Toledo Branch NAACP is being proactive in helping to
dissolve issues as we work within our community.
Our local board members have
become mentors/tutors within our schools; challenged health
and safety concerns on lead paint; partnered with companies
and leaders in efforts to get our community training and
jobs; worked with our youth in the ACT-SO program to compete
at our National NAACP competitions that also involve
students receiving scholarships; increased the power of the
vote by helping with voter’s registration campaigns; rallied
to stop the violence and will continue with meetings for our
community. This is just to name a few actions.
The
NAACP is the nation’s oldest, boldest, largest, and most
widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization.
It has more than half-million members and supporters
throughout the United States and the world who are the
premier advocates for civil rights within their communities.
Our
monthly meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month
at 7:00 p.m. Meetings for November and December will be
held at the Mott Branch Library at 1085 Dorr Street. Please
join us! Become a member! Your engagement is necessary for
the continuing fight for equality and social justice. Watch
for our articles and visit us on our website at
www.naacptoledo.org or follow us on
www.facebook.com/naacptoledo.
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