It’s been a big week for voting rights in Georgia!

Thanks to the hard work of the NAACP Georgia State Conference, a judge issued a consent order prohibiting the state from cutting off voter registration more than 30 days before any federal election.

This victory follows an earlier lawsuit in which the Georgia Sate Conference sued to correct a state law that required Georgians to register three months prior a federal runoff election in order to vote – a clear violation of the National Voter Registration Act.

Georgia isn’t the only place where we’re making progress though: the NAACP has won back rights for voters in Louisiana and Texas and has filed further lawsuits in states like Indiana.

We’re fighting in the courts because we know that we’ll never stop hate and achieve equality if we don't vote.

We believe that Americans deserve a just, inclusive democracy.
Are you with us?

PLEDGE TO VOTE

With gratitude,
Derrick 

NAACP
President and CEO

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Click here to download a copy of this

It is my honor to write to you as your newly elected President and CEO.

In the face of a brutal and near-daily national assault on civil rights and progressive issues, the NAACP has recognized the immediate need for a leader to guide the organization during its strategic re-envisioning process.

The NAACP has a long legacy of activism and civil rights leadership, but I am committed to retooling and refreshing the Association to best confront 21-century challenges. As president, I seek to shepherd the Association into a period of growth and strength: building our field, our funds, and our force as a champion of civic engagement. I will use every tactic in our playbook to ensure that African Americans can achieve equality in the United States.

Will you join me?

Looking forward,
Derrick 

NAACP
 

Greetings!

On behalf of the Albemarle- Charlottesville NAACP officers and members, we are pleased to have you join us for our annual Freedom Fund Banquet. We hope that your evening is pleasant and enjoyable.

 January 2017 saw a changing of the guard for the Albemarle-Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP. After twelve years of dedicated service to the organization, Dr. M. Rick Turner made the decision to resign from his position as president of the local branch. We thank him for his twelve years of service and we will continue to build on the progress made during his tenure – while encouraging a productive vision for the future of the branch.

For over a century the NAACP has been one of the nation’s leading champions of civil rights and social justice; working tirelessly to achieve economic equity, with a commitment to attain equality and justice for all. Dr. King once said,” the arc of the moral universe is long but, it bends towards justice.” Justice, a word that has continued to surface in daily conversations, is being enacted by various vocal means of protests throughout the nation. Just this year members of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Community braced themselves while preparing for visits from members of the Ku Klux Klan and – the organizers of the Unite the Right Rally resulted in a tragic ending involving the loss of life. The Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP countered the Klan rally with a successful peaceful protest rally based on the theme, “Steadfast and Immovable”. Various other community activities were planned to provide alternative choices in lieu of attending the rallies.

The NAACP stands at a pivotal time in history! We find ourselves in a period of unrest as a nation. We seem to be engaged in a struggle to protect the gains that we as a people have made during the last fifty years, especially the right to vote. The NAACP stands ready to challenge efforts to roll back and eliminate policies and programs intended to extend the social safety net to all. Many people in our community and across America would be affected by this injustice. Therefore, the tireless work of the NAACP remains relevant today. As the oldest civil rights organization in the world, we would want to be a significant part of the solution as we remain dedicated and committed to the mission of the organization: to ensure the Political, Educational, Social and Economic Equality of Rights of All Persons and to Eliminate Racial Hatred and Racial Discrimination. We remain steadfast in our resolve and immovable from our objective.

Yours in the Struggle,

Janette Boyd Martin, President               
Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP 

Do the Right Thing Film Flyer

CANDIDATES INVITED TO VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE NAACP Convention 
Saturday, October 28^th, 2017  from 2:00pm- 4:00pm
at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa at Short Pump

RICHMOND, Va. — Today, all candidates seeking statewide offices to include: Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General have been invited to the 82^nd Annual Convention Virginia State Conference NAACP being held on Saturday, October 28^th, 2017 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa at Short Pump, from 2:00pm- 4:00pm. “We look forward to having all candidates at our Convention to share some time to discuss their platforms and address concerns of the Virginia State Conference NAACP “  said Linda Thomas, President of the Virginia State Conference NAACP

This Tuesday (9/12) at 10am and 6pm at the Ix Building  (955 2nd St SE, Charlottesville, VA  22902)

Show up to show you care!  These meetings, also called “charettes” will bring together the community and consultants who are working on part of the plans for the Strategic Investment Area (SIA).  They need to see community members and their supporters to understand how important affordable housing is, especially for people making $30,000 or less.  For more info. See the Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition website: https://affordablehousingcville.org/.

Please mark your calendar, hope to see you Tuesday!
Emily

Emily Dreyfus | Community Organizer | Legal Aid Justice Center | 1000 Preston Avenue | Charlottesville, Virginia  22903 | 434-529-1809 | emily@justice4all.org

Scholarships for Students

Attending college can be quite expensive for students and their families. Luckily, there are many college scholarships and contests available to help pay for a college education. Students should seek out and apply for scholarships in which they meet the eligibility requirements. Below are a handful of scholarships with September 2017 due dates:

Only brief information about each scholarship is listed. Therefore, students are encouraged to visit the scholarship websites to get further details about eligibility and requirements.

Gates Scholarship

Sponsor: The Gates Scholarship

Amount: Cost of attendance that is not already covered by other financial aid and the EFC
Closing Date: September 15, 2017
Description: Scholarship is open to exceptional, Pell-eligible, minority, high school seniors who are student leaders. Ideal candidates will have an outstanding academic record in high school (top 10% of graduating class), demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional personal success skills.

We the Future Contest
Sponsor: Constituting America
Amount: Varied based on class standing
Closing Date: September 17, 2017
Description: Contest is open to K-12 students, college students, law school students, graduate schools students, adults 25 years of age and older, and seniors 65 years of age and older. Each age group has different requirements, so applicants should visit website for details.

Siemens Competition
Sponsor: Siemens Foundation
Amount: Up to $100,000
Closing Date: September 19, 2017
Description: Competition is open to individuals and teams of up to three students in grades nine through 12. Students are encouraged to do research in mathematics, engineering, biological, or physical science.

Questbridge Scholars
Sponsor: Questbridge
Amount: Full Tuition
Closing Date: September 27, 2017
Description: Program is open to high school seniors who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States. Applicant must have primarily A’s in the most challenging courses available, be in the top 5-10% of their graduating class, have a 1310 on the SAT or PSAT or 28 on the ACT. Finalists typically come from households earning less than $65,000 annually for a family of four, and often less. The program is only open for students considering one or more of Questbridge’s college partners (see website for details).

Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship
Sponsor: Digital Responsibility
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: September 30, 2017
Description: Scholarship is open to high school students in grades 9-12 and current college or graduate school students. Applicant must complete a short form and share a 140-character statement explaining why they will not text and drive.

Scholarship Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Live Poets Society of New Jersey
Amount: Up to $500
Closing Date: September 30, 2017
Description: Scholarship is open to all U.S. high school students. Applicant must submit an original poem with 20 lines or less.

Scholarships.com $500 InstaScholarship
Sponsor: Scholarships.com
Amount: $500
Closing Date: September 30, 2017
Description: Contest is open to all U.S. citizens who are either currently enrolled in high school and plan to attend a U.S. Department of Education accredited institution of higher education or are currently enrolled in a U.S. Department of Education accredited institution of higher learning. Applicant must share a post/pic of their top priorities for this upcoming school year and tag @scholdotcom and use #InstaScholarship on Instagram.

Shout It Out Scholarship
Sponsor: Unigo
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: September 30, 2017
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and are currently enrolled (or will enroll no later than the fall of 2023) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. Applicant will need to submit a short response to a given prompt.

Meeting Features UVA Professor Dr. Maurice Apprey
Topic: “Health Consequences for the Black Community”

The Albemarle-Charlottesville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, September 11, 2017.  Meetings start at 7 PM and are held at the Jefferson School City Center located at 233 4th Street NW, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (in the Mary Williams Center).  The meeting will feature Dr. Maurice Apprey, African American Professor of Psychiatric Medicine and Dean of the Office of African American Affairs at The University of Virginia.  Dr. Apprey’s topic will be “Memory and Defeat: Health Consequences for the Black Community.”

We are sincerely grateful for the expressions of faith, hope, and love shown by the cards, letters, phone calls and monetary support for our mission.  At this time, we are unable to respond personally to each individual outpouring of support. The compassion, caring, and generosity of so many of you who are united in the belief that ALL people are created equal has given us further momentum to continue our struggle for justice and equality for ALL.

Janette B. Martin, President

Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP

 

Diversity Luncheon