On Monday, November 11, 2024, we will be hosting a discussion on the increasing numbers of gun violence occurrences in both our city and county. Participating in the discussion will be:
Albemarle County Police Chief – Sean Reeves
Charlottesville City Police Chief – Michael Kochis
Albemarle County Commonwealth Attorney – James Hingeley
Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney – Joe Platania
The meeting will be held via ZOOM and will begin at 6:30. Th public is invited to attend:
Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP – NAACP’s Zoom Meeting – NOVEMBER BRANCH Time: Nov 11, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
On Friday, September 6, 2024, the Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP will host its Freedom Fund Banquet at the OMNI CHARLOTTESVILLE HOTEL, located at 212 RIDGE MINTIRE ROAD, CHARLOTTESIVLLE, VA 22903. The evening will begin at 7:00 pm, with dinner being served at 7:30 pm. Our keynote speaker for the evening will be Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas.
The Freedom Fund Banquet is the major fundraising event for all branches of the NAACP! Your contributions allow us to offer valuable workshops, scholarships, and activities for both our youth and adult membership as well as for the larger community that we serve. Your generosity also makes it possible for our branch to have representation at state, regional, and national conferences where members receive valuable information and training that promote civil rights and justice for all.
Individual tickets – $80 Table of Eight – $600
Please call: (434) 220-1493 or email naacp1947@gmail.com for further information or for ticket/table purchase. Tickets may also be purchased on EVENTBRITE – 2024 Albemarle-Charlottesville Freedom Fund Banquet
Bus will depart: 10 am from BURLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL – 901 ROSE HILL DRIVE Arrival back in Charlottesville by 4:00 – BURLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL – 901 ROSE HILL DRIVE Snacks and boxed goodies will be provided.
The Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP PAC will host a Candidates’ Forum on MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024. The event will be a ZOOM presentation, and will begin at 7:00 pm. The forum is open to the public,
Because time will be limited, if you have specific questions to ask, please email them to naacp1947@gmail before the time of the forum. FOLLOWING IS THE LINK TO JOIN:
Battalion Chief Lance Blakey Accepted Into IAFC Diversity Executive Leadership Program
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) president, John Butler, announced the individuals who have been accepted into the IAFC Diversity Executive Leadership Program.
Charlottesville Fire Department’s Battalion Chief, Lance Blakey, was 1 of 15 selected nationwide for the highly selective program. Chief Blakey, the first African American Battalion Chief in CFD’s 166-year history, was promoted in 2022. His commitment to his community and ability to drive positive change played a pivotal role in his selection.
The iDELP program created by the IAFC in 2016 cultivates current and future leaders from under-represented groups using networking, professional development guidance, and involvement in strategic opportunities to elevate inclusiveness within the IAFC. Under President Butler’s leadership, the iDELP program has expanded to include formal learning objectives that focus on the challenges and impacts faced by leaders and fire service organizations as they relate to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).
During the 18-month cohort, iDELP fellows will learn from subject matter experts, develop solutions to current and emerging issues, and share those initiatives with the fire and emergency services community.
The iDELP program is one of the premier fire and emergency services DEIB educational programs offered. Focused on preparing individuals to be successful DEIB-thought leaders and solutions catalysts, this unique program is one of many ways that the IAFC is molding the fire and emergency service leaders of tomorrow.
Media Contact Kyle Ervin Public Safety Information Officer City of Charlottesville ervinkl@charlottesville.gov (434)326-3043
Founded on February 12th in 1909, the NAACP will be 115 years old on the 12th of FEBRUARY – and remains very relevant in today’s troubling times.
The Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP will celebrate FOUNDERS’ DAY on Sunday, February 11, 2024. The event will be held at Chapman Grove Baptist Church, 2064 Stony Point Road, Charlottesville, VA, 22911 and will begin at 4 pm.
Our keynote speaker for the event will be Ms. Khaliah Ali, daughter of Mohammad Ali.
This day – Monday, January 15, 2024 – falls on the actual birthday of the celebrated civil rights icon.
In 1983, Congress designated MLK Day as a federal holiday. This day is observed by many as a day of service. It is also a day to reflect upon the impact which the civil rights leader has made in voting rights, racial injustice, and inequality.
Dr. King may be remembered by most people for his “I Had a Dream” speech. As we remember what Dr. King expressed in his speech, it appears that in today’s polarized climate, we might ask ourselves, will the Dream ever become a reality? It seems that the response of a segment of the populus appears to disavow the Dream as a possibility of ever becoming reality. But we must remember that hope springs eternal, and continue to accept the seemingly never-ending challenges of life in order that one day, our children and grandchildren will be the recipients of our efforts. When We Fight, We Win!
“Virginia’s returning citizens, and all Virginians, deserve to know the truth about Governor Youngkin’s rights restoration process and why he has restored voting rights to only a fraction of those eligible. Virginia NAACP has worked tirelessly over the past seven months to obtain public records—records which it is entitled to under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (”VFOIA”)—in order to shine a light on this process, which has a discriminatory impact on Black Virginians and other Virginians of color. It is outrageous that Governor Youngkin continues to fight tooth and nail to withhold key information about this process—including even what information he considers when determining whether to restore an individual’s sacred right to vote.
We are disappointed in Judge Marchant’s limited ruling today that the governor’s restoration of rights database is exempt from production under VFOIA, even in partially redacted form removing applicants’ personal identifying information. This database contains key information, including the information collected about each applicant that informs the rights restoration decision. Moreover, the evidence presented today shows that this database is also used for other purposes—such as communications with applicants and other state agencies—and, therefore, is disseminated outside the Governor’s Office, making at least these portions of the database subject to public disclosure under VFOIA.
We will continue to fight to vindicate our right to review these public records and again call on Governor Youngkin to make public the complete criteria he uses to determine whether to restore an individual’s right to vote and to commit to a process that fairly and promptly restores the rights of all eligible returning citizens.”
Local NAACP Branch Calls for Safe Learning Environment & Equitable Resources in Charlottesville City Schools
In response to the recent events at Charlottesville High School,
the Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch #7057 of the NAACP releases the following statement:
Every child deserves an opportunity to reach their full potential. To bridge academic gaps and ensure that all children get a real chance at a fulfilling education, we need to address systemic racism and poverty as tangible barriers to learning and future achievement. Every Black student deserves access to great teaching, equitable resources, and a safe learning environment from grade school classrooms to college campuses. Black students matter, and working on their behalf has never been more urgent.
Students need family and community engagement and resources that encourage physical and mental health for their overall well-being, which allows for stronger academic development. We support students getting the education and skills development they need, so they can be successful on the job or in an academic environment.
We need strategies and investments that build accountability to advance the success of children of color. Black children deserve to experience culturally relevant, student-centered learning and appropriate discipline measures. Our goal is to work to expand policies and interventions that equip families and communities to better support their kids’ needs in school.
Furthermore, in compliance with NAACP policy, we:
Advocate for reforms to include issues of discipline in the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the main federal law that addresses achievement gaps among students.
Work to change state laws to remove zero tolerance policies from being a default or requirement for districts.
Advocate at district level for policies that do not remove students from school and ensure that students being disciplined get access to a challenging curriculum.
