March 10, 2026 
Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON – The NAACP, in collaboration with Sanofi, released the findings of the ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey, one of the largest contemporary grassroots assessments of community health resources in the United States. The report, with nearly 23,000 respondents across 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, provides insights into the real-world conditions that drive health outcomes, from the quality of housing and access to transportation to the pervasive impact of chronic stress. 
 

The survey’s findings underscore a critical truth: health is shaped long before a person enters a doctor’s office. While the data show strong neighborhood infrastructure in many communities — with 92% of respondents reporting access to green spaces and 94% having a grocery store nearby — they also reveal persistent, structural inequities. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• Health Burden is High: 63% percent of respondents report living with at least one chronic health condition, a number that increases with age and decreases with income.
• Income Dictates Access: Respondents with lower incomes are significantly less likely to live near quality hospitals, more likely to struggle with housing costs, and face greater barriers to reliable transportation.
• Strong Neighborhood Infrastructure is Widespread: 94% of respondents reported having a grocery store in their neighborhood. And nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents reported feeling safe in their neighborhoods.
• Trust in Healthcare is a Factor: While 76% of respondents believe local providers understand their community’s cultural needs, significant gaps remain. Only one in three Black or African American respondents felt providers understood their needs “very much so,” with many reporting feeling dismissed or unheard.
• Chronic Stress is Pervasive: Qualitative analysis identified chronic stress as the most dominant influence on health — driven by financial strain, unsafe neighborhoods, caregiving burdens, and discrimination.
• Digital Connectivity is the Norm: 72% of respondents have broadband internet, but households with low incomes rely more heavily on cellular data or public Wi-Fi, impacting access to telehealth and economic opportunity.  

The report identifies five national priority areas where advocacy and investment by experts working to advance health equity can generate the most meaningful change: Housing and Environmental Conditions; Transportation Access; Affordable and Culturally Responsive Care; Food Access and Cost; and Chronic Stress and Caregiving Burden. 
 

“This report confirms what our communities have been saying for generations: your zip code can be a more powerful determinant of your health than your genetic code,” said Dr. Chris Pernell, Director of the NAACP Center for Health Equity. “The ACE Your Health survey moves beyond data points to capture the lived experience of our communities. We cannot treat our way out of this crisis. We must address the root causes: the aging apartments with mold that trigger asthma, the unreliable buses that make it difficult to attend appointments, and the chronic stress of financial insecurity that wears down the body. These findings are a roadmap for policymakers and health leaders to invest in the conditions that create health, not just treat the sickness that results from their absence.” 
 

The collaboration between the NAACP and Sanofi reflects a shared commitment to moving beyond dialogue to drive tangible change. By combining grassroots engagement with rigorous science-based analyses, the ACE Your Health report provides actionable intelligence for local leaders, policy experts, advocates, and health systems. 
 

“The voices of nearly 23,000 people are a powerful reminder that health is shaped, or undermined, long before anyone walks into a doctor’s office. Our collaboration with the NAACP on the ACE Your Health report reflects Sanofi’s belief that the most powerful innovations happen when we act with communities, not just for them, to address the root causes of health inequity,” said Tanisha M. Sullivan, Head, External Engagement and Health Equity Strategy at Sanofi. “These findings give policymakers, health systems, and local leaders the evidence they need to invest in the conditions that truly create health. That is how we build a future where your zip code no longer determines your well-being.” 
 

The report includes city-specific data swaths for fifteen metropolitan areas, enabling local stakeholders to address the unique challenges in their communities. The NAACP will use these findings to inform its advocacy, drive targeted investments, and empower communities to shape their own health futures. 
 

To download the full ACE Your Health Community Wellness Survey Report, visit our website.

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Tell Congress to Vote NO on the SAVE Act

SINK THE SAVE ACT

The SAVE Act has once again reared its head in Congress. 

SAVE Act supporters, aka those who want to suppress votes, will lie and tell you that the SAVE Act is “just a voter ID bill” or that it’s to “stop voter fraud.” Don’t believe the hype. Despite the name, the SAVE Act is nothing more than voter suppression disguised as voter protection.  

Their real goal is to stop people from voting. This isn’t about making elections safer — it’s about politicians picking their voters. They’re targeting our communities, trying to game the system to hold onto power ahead of the midterm elections in November. 

We’ve got to Sink the SAVE Act before it’s too late. 

If passed, the SAVE Act would hurt the Black Community’s ability to vote.

• This law could block married women from voting because her driver’s license has her married name, but her voter registration has her maiden name.
• It could turn away grandma or pop who doesn’t have a current ID because they no longer drive.
• A college student whose campus address doesn’t match their ID could be stopped from voting.
• The SAVE Act would demand proof of citizenship before voting but over 9% of voting age Americans (21.3 million people) cannot readily access citizenship documents. Eleven percent or 8.4 million people of color can’t access those documents either.
• It creates more red tape and confusion, leading to longer lines and people being wrongly turned away at the polls — especially in Black and Brown neighborhoods.

WHY THIS MATTERS 

When they silence our vote, they silence our demands for better hospitals, good-paying jobs, and fair policing. This is how they stop progress.

They are using fear and division around immigration and false claims of voter fraud to pass a law that will ultimately strip power from all of us, particularly naturalized citizens, Black people and other communities of color.

We should be making voting more accessible, not inventing new hoops for people to jump through. Our focus should be on the issues that matter, like healthcare and economic security.

This is why we must all vote in November, to stop our elections from being rigged and to keep this president and his administration accountable.  

kjones@naacpva.org | (540) 449-4742 

NAACP Backs Virginia Redistricting Effort to Protect Black Representation and  Defend Democracy 

Richmond, Virginia – The NAACP announced its full support for fair redistricting efforts underway in Virginia to  protect Black political representation and democracy, and to ensure that every voter’s voice is heard. The  support for redistricting efforts in Virginia follows the Association’s litigation against the States of Texas and Missouri over their unconstitutional attempts to manipulate voting maps and disenfranchise Black  voters. 

Across the country, we are witnessing a campaign to suppress Black political power through racial  gerrymandering, voter intimidation, and legislative manipulation. The ultimate goal of that campaign is to  redefine the role of the government so that it serves the wealthy few. From Virginia to California, the NAACP is  challenging these anti-democratic tactics head-on through mobilization, litigation, and education to ensure  every community has a fair voice in our democracy. 

“The right to vote means little if the power of that vote is stolen through unfair maps,” said Derrick Johnson,  President and CEO of the NAACP. “Redistricting is not a partisan issue — it’s a democratic one. When Black  communities lose the ability to elect candidates who represent our needs, our entire democracy suffers. The  NAACP will continue to fight, in Virginia and across the nation, to make sure our maps – and our democracy – reflect people. Voters choose our politicians. Not the other way around.” 

The NAACP Virginia State Conference has been at the forefront of the fight to protect democracy in the state.  In the lead-up to the November 4 election, the NAACP launched a comprehensive campaign to mobilize Black  voters. This multifaceted initiative includes recruiting and training volunteers, activating a robust legal network,  voter education, SMS campaigns, phone banking, canvassing, and community partnerships. 

“The people of Virginia deserve fair maps that reflect our true diversity — not ones drawn to dilute our power,”  said Rev. Cozy Bailey, President of the NAACP Virginia State Conference. “Our mission is simple: to make  sure Black voters in Virginia are seen, heard, and represented. Redistricting must protect democracy, not  partisan interests.” 

Fair maps and free elections are the foundation of democracy. The NAACP will continue to stand in that gap,  defending every Black voter’s right to be heard and every Black community’s right to be represented. To learn  more about how NAACP is fighting to defend democracy, visit our website, naacp.org. 

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ABOUT THE NAACP VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE 

Founded in 1935, the NAACP Virginia State Conference is the oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization in  the Commonwealth, overseeing over 100 NAACP branches, youth councils, and college chapters. The NAACP Virginia  State Conference is focused on being the preeminent voice of Black Virginians and advocating for policies and programs  to benefit Black Virginians and people of color. You can read more about the NAACP Virginia State Conference’s work by  visiting www.naacpva.org. 

NAACP Virginia State Conference 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court should strike down President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship, according to an amicus brief filed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Howard University School of Law’s Civil Rights Clinic on behalf of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, Equal Justice Society, the National Urban League, and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.  

The groups call out the administration’s attempt to narrowly restrict birthright citizenship based on parentage while wielding other civil rights laws to advance its ideological agenda. In their brief, the groups emphasize that, if upheld, the executive order would resurrect a horrific time in American history when only certain people could be declared a citizen by birth. 

As explained in the brief, the executive order would further expose communities of color to the harmful policies of an administration with a disregard for the civil rights of immigrants of color, including immigrants who are U.S. citizens. Immigration enforcement tactics currently being carried out by the administration harken back to a time when newly freed Black people had to carry their manumission papers. A Supreme Court ruling upholding the executive order threatens to make immigrants of color even more vulnerable to civil rights abuses. 

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, said, “Birthright citizenship is not up for debate. This attack on the 14th Amendment is nothing short of an attempt to resurrect racist ideologies and erase protections that were constitutionally set in stone for all of us. We will not stand by as this administration attempts to relegate generations of Black and Brown people to second-class citizenship. The truth of our constitution must be upheld – and we cannot allow this erosion of our democracy.”

Olivia Sedwick, counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said, “This executive order is not only unconstitutional, but its framing is deeply ahistorical and regressive. If it is allowed to stand, this nation can no longer hold itself out to be the bastion of freedom and democracy to the world.”

Mona Tawatao, legal director of the Equal Justice Society, said, “Birthright citizenship is the safeguard that keeps the United States from becoming a racialized caste society where the government decides who counts and who does not. It ensures that every child born here, no matter their race or their parents’ status, enters our democracy as an equal. We must recognize and protect this long-enshrined fundamental right not as a technical rule, but as the constitutional expression of the multiracial democracy all our children deserve.”

“Birthright citizenship is not a political bargaining chip. It is a constitutional guarantee,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters. “The administration’s attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship is an attack on every American, especially Black Americans, and a dangerous escalation in the effort to redefine who belongs in our democracy.”

Maya Wiley, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said, “This brief shouldn’t be necessary, because the words of the 14th Amendment are plain and clear. If you are born here, you are a citizen here. As we explain, those words were written to ensure that there would never again be a class of people born here denied their rights as citizens, no matter their race or ethnicity. The meaning of the Amendment’s protection of birthright citizenship is as plain now as it was at the time the Amendment was ratified. The attack on birthright citizenship is also plain. It is plainly wrong. It is plainly unconstitutional. It is plainly un-American. We are a nation built by the many to create the one – one country made up of diverse citizens whose rights, if we allow this administration to violate them, will be the destruction of what we now celebrate in the two-hundred and fifty years of a nation that is proud of its multi-racial democracy and that holds dear and undeniably the inalienable rights of all the citizens of this great nation. Because we are only great when our rights are respected.”

Marc H. Morial, National Urban League President and CEO, said, “The Constitution could not be clearer: for more than a century, the 14th Amendment has guaranteed that every child born on American soil is a United States citizen — a principle affirmed repeatedly by the Supreme Court and essential to our nation’s identity. Attempts to end birthright citizenship through executive action ignore settled law, distort the meaning of the Citizenship Clause, and revive the same dangerous impulses that once denied equal protection to entire groups of people. The Court must reject this unlawful overreach and uphold the Amendment’s promise, which has anchored civil rights progress since it overturned the injustices of the Dred Scott era.”

The brief debunks the Trump administration’s claim that the Reconstruction Congress intended birthright citizenship to only apply to freed slaves and their children. The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution and the Immigration and Nationality Act Civil Rights Act of 1866 clearly grant birthright citizenship to all people born in the United States, regardless of the legal status of the parents. As the brief details, any contrary reading of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause or the citizenship clause in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 is patently and unequivocally incorrect.

President Trump issued the executive order on birthright citizenship on his first day back in office, on January 20, 2025.

The amicus brief is in support of the nationwide class action challenging the executive order. The lawsuit was brought by ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, Asian Law Caucus, Democracy Defenders Fund, ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, and ACLU of Massachusetts.

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Online Event

Youth & College 90th Anniversary

Young Leaders, Lasting Legacy

Founded in 1936, the division was built on a bold belief: that young people are not just leaders of tomorrow, but powerful agents of change today. Black youth exercised empowerment by organizing through their communities to challenge injustice head-on.

The Youth & College division has continued to evolve by organizing around voting rights, education equity, and social justice issues affecting new generations. Through every era, it has remained a training ground for organizers, artists, educators, public servants, and movement builders.

The next generation of civil rights leaders is making waves now. This is not just history, it is a living legacy written by young leaders who stepped forward, spoke out, and helped bend the arc toward justice.

For 90 years, the NAACP Youth and College Division has been a catalyst for courage, leadership, and change, empowering generations of young people to not only imagine a better future, but to build it. 90 years of challenging systems and building young Black political power.- Tylik McMillan, National Director, Youth and

Legacy loud. Youth proud. 90 years.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2026

Contact: Chyna Fields, cfields@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Last night, President Trump gave his first official State of the Union address of his second administration. The address, which took place during the 100th Black History Month, failed to offer a glimmer of promise for the future of Black Americans. The key topics of his remarks instead emphasized ending DEI across America, deploying ICE in our nation’s cities to target immigrants of color, doubling down on his push to make it harder for citizens to vote through the SAVE Act, and keeping his promise to “drill baby drill” — referencing an increase in oil and gas production in America.

NAACP President & CEO, Derrick Johnson, released this statement in rebuttal to the State of the Union:

“The address to the nation that we watched last night was a mess, as expected. Trump is failing everyday Americans, and we must not allow him to continue to trample over our rights and roll back the progress that so many of us fought so hard for.”

“Because of his failed policies, we’re in a K-shaped economy, one that wins for the wealthy and that’s poor for the poor. Families are going hungry and sick. And people no longer have access to affordable healthcare. 

“From ICE prowling our nation’s most diverse cities to election office raids in swing states, we are witnessing the actions of a dictatorship. The time for change is now. The time to band together is now. The time for unity, the time for progress, and the time for restored belief in the promise of this nation is now.”

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Experiment, following the first year of Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States, Black people continue to be subjected to policies that are dismantling the very freedoms this country was built on. Policy violence has become the hallmark of this Administration, proving to all Americans that cruelty is the point. 

The NAACP has, and will always, advocate for progress. From our nation’s courtrooms to the halls of Congress, and even in the Oval Office, we advocate. We are a resilient and battle-tested century-old organization with grassroots advocates in every corner of this nation. Our network will continue the work necessary to ensure Black America, and all of America, can live in true freedom.

 “We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.”—Jesse Owens, world record-setting Olympic athlete

ON FEBRUARY 26, FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE RECOGNIZE

GARWIN DeBERRY. SR.

J.P. Burley and Charlottesville Highs, Charlottesville
Coach, Teacher, Mentor

Garwin DeBerry is a 1965 graduate of Burley High School in Charlottesville. He was an all-around athlete who participated in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. He aspired to be a coach from an early age. He helped lead the football team to VIA Western District Championships in 1963 and 1964 and State runner-up Championship in 1964. He received a football scholarship to attend Virginia State College (now university) in Petersburg. He began his coaching career in New Jersey before returning to Virginia. For 35 years he coached at Charlottesville High, including the last 28 years as head football coach. In 1980, he became the first African American head coach at a formally all white school in the area. He was named as District Coach of the Year 6 times, won one regional In championship and qualified for the state playoffs 12 times. His contributions as coach, teacher and mentor have been recognized in many ways. In October 2015, the football field at Charlottesville High’s Tommy Theodose Stadium was named in his honor for exceptional service.  In 2017 Coach DeBerry was selected to the Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA) Hall of Fame.  Over the span of 35 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator, Garwin DeBerry has had a positive impact on the lives of many, both on the court, and field!

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it” – Amanda Gorman

ON FEBRUARY 23, 2026, FROM OUR COMMUNITY WE RECOGNIZE

GWEDETTE REYNOLDS CRUMMIE

“We rise by lifting others.” – Barack Obama

She lived that call to action — leading with purpose, building pathways, and uplifting generations. She began her journey with Albemarle County Public Schools as the first Black Gifted Resource Teacher at a middle school, intentionally ensuring that advanced academic programs were accessible to every student. Her collaborative spirit led to the creation of A Step Beyond, an after-school program designed to expose Black students to academic, cultural, and leadership experiences beyond the traditional classroom.

Over 36 years as an educator and administrator in Henrico County and Albemarle County Schools, her influence has extended across classrooms, boards, committees, and national organizations. She established systems of encouragement for young people through mentoring and tutoring initiatives recognized at the state level with the Mentor Virginia Award – Champions of Mentoring. Not only a leader of students, but she has also been a developer of leaders — mentoring aspiring administrators, empowering teachers, and cultivating an environment where staff flourish professionally.

A steadfast advocate for Black academic excellence, she served on the board of the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship Program at the University of Virginia. In this role, she helped provide scholarships to high-achieving Black students while elevating issues of importance to students and alumni. She also established the program’s first formal mentorship initiative, ensuring Ridley Scholars receive financial support, advocacy, and community.

Beyond education, Gwedette has served as President of the Rose Hill Neighborhood and as a member of the City of Charlottesville Task Force to strengthen community relationships, elevate residents’ voices, and address neighborhood issues impacting quality of life.

Today, she continues her advocacy as a board member of QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia, and League of Women Voters of the Charlottesville Area, and serves as Chief Election Official for the historic Porters voting precinct at Yancey Community Center. In these roles, she champions childhood literacy, healthy and active lifestyles, civic engagement, and the rights and responsibilities of voters across Virginia.

With the heart of an educator, administrator, board member, and mentor, Gwedette Crummie leads with integrity, vision, and a deep commitment to uplifting others. Her work reflects the belief that teaching and leading is a powerful way to honor her mother’s legacy: “leave it better than you found it” — in the classroom, in the community, and in the lives of everyone she touches.

“Young people deserve someone to acknowledge their hopes, dreams as aspirations

… be the foundation for them knowing their worth.” –Dawn Staley

ON FEBRUARY 22, 2026, FROM OUR COMMUNITY WE RECOGNIZE

                                               Gwendolyn A. Reynolds

This educator’s life work reflects a deep commitment to community, equity and empowerment. For more than thirty years Gwen has championed the power of relationships as the foundation for building strong connected communities. She has dedicated her career to uplifting students and ensuring they are seen, heard and valued.

As an educator in Albemarle County Schools, Gwen created the first African American Studies curriculum, paving the way for more inclusive and representative learning experiences. Her commitment to equity extended beyond the classroom through her leadership in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Her excellence in mentoring both students and teachers earned her the prestigious Golden Apple Award.

Her influence also reached into student -led clubs and Step performance teams at Albemarle and Monticello high schools, as coach for over twenty years. These programs fostered cultural pride and academic achievement and artistic expression while supporting learning centers by strengthening school communities and traveling abroad to share the artform with diverse cultural groups.

Beyond education Gwen has been an active community member. Through her years of service on the board of Piedmont Housing Alliance, she worked to raise awareness about equitable housing practices and champion affordable housing initiatives.

A dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (Delta Kappa Gamma chapter), she has served in multiple leadership roles, exemplifying scholarship, sisterhood, and service. She has also coached girls’ and junior varsity basketball and faithfully taught Sunday school, mentoring young people in every space she entered.

Gwen believes teaching is a way to honor her mother’s legacy: “Leave it better than you found it.” Through her unwavering dedication to students, schools, and community, she has done exactly that — leaving a lasting impact that continues to inspire generations.

ON FEBRUARY 21, 2026, FROM OUR COMMUNITY WE RECOGNIZE

DR. L, BERNARD HAIRSTON

Dr. L. Bernard Hairston’s journey reminds us of how everyday actions can grow beyond expectations as agents of change. Every step is capable of leaving a footprint. His footprints began in this community as the associate principal of Western Albemarle High School to appointed principal of Burley Middle School in 1997. He refused to participate in what was perceived as a race bias process after several interviews. Burley was transformed from the bottom quartile of student achievement to the top quartile among the five middle schools. It maintained the second highest percentage of minority educators in the division. He championed the division’s first formal anti-bullying program and Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines in partnership with Dr. Dewey Cornell, parent and Professor of Education, UVA. A focus on lower rates of suspension and racial disparities.

He was later appointed the second African American assistant superintendent in the 163-year history of Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS). A bold and passionate leader who confronted and made a difference with issues that others talked about. He is the founding president to two non-profit organizations that focused on equity, achievement gaps, minority hiring and retention.  The African American Teaching Fellows (AATF) has become a primary recruitment source for Charlottesville City and ACPS.  The 100 Black Men of Central Virginia in partnership with ACPS has received the prestigious National School Boards Association Magna Award twice for its innovative M-Cubed: Math, Men, Mission program. An evidence-based model to close achievement gaps for Black males. The chapter was recognized twice by the 100 Black Men of America as Chapter of the year for mentoring and education under his leadership. Often regarded as the most impactful mentoring program in the area.

He spearheaded a homegrown, bottom-up evidence based culturally responsive teaching initiative to offset achievement gaps. These efforts were recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as the first Mary Peake Award for Excellence in Education Equity. His insistent focus on equity, discrimination and anti-racism efforts resulted in the adoption of the first anti-racism policy by a school division in the Commonwealth and nation.

 Right click on this anti-racism policy hyperlink for inspiration to continue the journey to offset discrimination and racism.  https://youtu.be/K_em8blAwgk