The President and Secretary are ex-officio members of all committees except the Nominating Committee and the Election Supervisory Committee.
ACTSO= LaRae Carter ACT-SO IS AN ACRONYM THAT STANDS FOR AFRO-ACADEMIC, CULTURAL, TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC OLYMPICS. IT IS A STUDENT ENRICHMENT PROGRAM THAT CULMINATES IN A LOCAL AND NATIONAL COMPETITION WHERE STUDENTS COMPETE FOR AWARDS, AND PRIZES TOTALING OVER $150,000. ACT-SO, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE "OLYMPICS OF THE MIND", SEEKS TO PROMOTE THE FOLLOWING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN DESCENT:
POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM
POSITIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN OUR YOUTH AND THE ADULT PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
POSITIVE ACADEMIC AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
HIGH ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENT
THE ACT-SO PROGRAM CENTERS AROUND THE DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS; TO SERVE AS MENTORS AND COACHES TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AMONG STUDENTS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN DESCENT.
Armed Services & Veterans Affairs = Willis Gray, Retired USMC Shall seek to establish a working relationship with those agencies in government, national, state and local, having the responsibility in the affairs of members of the various Armed Services and Veterans and to see that the programs to which they are responsible are administered fairly and justly to members of the minority community;
Shall study conditions pertaining to veterans and members of the Military Service and their dependents and/or survivors in the community.
Shall serve as a center of information on matters affecting the members of the Active Military, Reserves, State National Guard and Veterans.
Shall maintain a repository of materials, information and forms to be used in assisting veterans and/or dependents of veterans and military personnel with their problems.
Shall receive and act on all complaints relative to acts of discrimination on account of race, color, creed, or denial of benefits to which they are entitled because of discrimination.
Shall prepare a quarterly report on committee activities to be submitted to the Executive Committee of the Unit and the National Director of Armed Services and Veterans Affairs.
Shall seek to promote media content with fundamental NAACP goals which include the elimination of racial isolation and fear and the furtherance of multiracial and cultural understanding;
Shall work to eliminate employment segregation and discrimination in those industries (comprising the communications arts and science) (radio, telephone, television, motion pictures, newspapers, books, related computer communications, business, cable television);
Shall seek to ensure Black minority ownership and control of print and electronic media - both hardware and software;
Shall monitor local and national media, especially advertising performance;
Shall provide the National Office with research and data on those local businesses engaged in communications arts and sciences;
Shall seek to ensure that all people have a meaningful rights to choose from and have access to a variety of high quality telecommunications goods and services at reasonable cost;
Shall endeavor to secure publicity for the work of the Unit and the Association in the local press and on radio, television and other media
Shall attempt to interest persons in charge of local news media on conditions affecting minority groups
Shall seek to counteract derogatory and erroneous statements in local news media about Blacks and other minority groups;
Shall be responsible for forwarding the THE CRISIS items covering Unit activities and important local affairs; and
Shall act as far as possible as an agency for the promotion and sales of THE CRISIS.
NO PUBLICITY SHALL BE RELEASED WITHOUT FIRST BEING APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIT.
COMMUNITY COORDINATOR = Rachel Ard & Rachel Green
Shall enlist the support of other community organizations on issues affecting the interest of African American and other communities of color.
Criminal Justice = Yolanda Garcia-Balicki
The committee on Criminal Justice shall:
Seek to eliminate harsh and unfair sentencing that are responsible for mass incarceration and racial disparities in the prison system.
Support and seek to increase trust and public safety by advancing effective law enforcement practices
Fight for the restoration of the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people and the removal of barriers to employment,
Elevate the voices of crime victim survivors in order to identify and advance systemic breakdowns existing in the criminal justice system that perpetuate crime,
Resolve to end the war on drugs for its disproportionate collateral consequences harm communities of color,
Seek the institution and availability of alternatives to incarceration including education, employment, and mental health services,
Eliminate zero tolerance policies implemented in our schools which are keeping kids out of the classroom and putting them on a path from the schoolhouse to the jailhouse,
Investigate programs implemented in our local law enforcement agencies which derail from their main purpose of safety and order to conduct the work of federal agencies for which they do not have the capacity, and
Seek budget modifications in states where incarceration receives more funding than education.
Economic Development = Fran Harwell
Shall implement local effects and support national programs to preserve and expand economic empowerment among African-Americans and other communities of color by:
researching and establishing relationships with private and public entities,
supporting the work of the National Office and monitoring the programs; and,
implementing local efforts to promote the growth of business ownership,
increasing employment and job creation; and encouraging business development and home ownership
Education = Tiffany Walker
Shall seek to eliminate segregation and other discriminatory practices in public education;
Shall study local educational conditions affecting minority groups;
Shall investigate the public school system and school zoning;
Shall familiarize itself with textbook material there from which is racially derogatory;
Shall seek to stimulate attendance;
Shall keep informed of school conditions and strive to correct abuses where found;
Shall investigate the effects of standardized and high stakes testing practices;
Shall seek teacher certification;
Shall promote parental involvement in education: and
Shall aim to be a center of popular education on the race question and in work of the Association.
Environmental Justice = Rene Pollard The Environmental and Climate Justice Committee shall:
Seek to address environmental inequities at the local level and advocate for environmental justice
Develop a comprehensive and holistic local agenda to reduce pollution
Advance energy efficiency and clean energy at the local level
Develop and advocate for climate-resilient infrastructure policies and practices.
Finance = LaTanya Nelson The committee shallconsist of the President, Treasurer, and at least one other member. It shall study the financial needs of the Unit and shall be responsible for drafting an adequate annual budget.
Freedom Fund = Michael Casero Shall plan and conduct fund-raising activities, entertainment and other projects, for local and national purposes within the scope of the Association’s program. It shall work closely with the Finance Committee.
Health = Dr. Mel Pierson and Dr. Irene Mintz
Shall work to promote, protect and maintain the health of African Americans
Shall assess the health needs of the community
Shall advocate for equal access to health education, care treatment and research for all Americans
Shall sponsor health-related activities such as health forums, fairs and workshops highlighting issues of importance to people of color; and
Shall support health initiatives of the Association.
Housing = Evan Palmer
Shall study housing conditions in the local community
Shall receive and seek to address complaints of discrimination
oppose all restrictive practices whether public of private; and
Shall disseminate information and render such other assistance which may eliminate discrimination in housing.
Legal Redress= Tim Alexander, ESQ and Yolanda Garcia-Balicki, ESQ
Shall investigate all cases reported to it;
Shall supervise all litigation in which the Unit is interested; and
Shall keep the National Office and the Branch informed on the progress of every case
IT SHALL NOT GIVE GENERAL LEGAL ADVICE
Labor & Industry = Sonny Winters
Shall seek ways to improve the economic status of minority groups by:
working to eliminate discriminatory employment practices in industry and government, wage differentials based on race, unequal opportunities for training, promotion and unfair dismissals;
encouraging greater participation in the trade union movement;
working to end discriminatory practices in labor unions;
securing the enactment of state and federal fair employment practices legislation; and
working for improved opportunities in vocational and apprenticeship training.
Membership= Tiffany Grandison
Shall work throughout the year to maintain and increase the membership of the Association.
Shall be responsible for planning and organizing the annual membership campaign.
Shall be responsible on a continuous basis for soliciting new members and for securing renewals; and
Shall initiate all possible means to obtain Life Members and sponsor a continuing program towards this end.
Political Action = LaTanya Nelson
Shall seek to increase registration and voting,
Shall work for the enactment of municipal, state and federal legislation designed to improve the educational, political and economic status of minority groups,
Shall seek to repeal of racially discriminatory legislation,
Work to improve the administration of justice,
Work to secure equal enforcement of the law; and
Keep the National Office and the Unit informed of all proposed legislation which affects minority groups.
The committee shall be nonpartisan and shall not endorse candidates for office.
Religious Affairs =
Shall include ministerial and lay religious leaders who are members of the Unit.
Shall promote an educational program designed to give moral and ethical interpretation to the civil rights struggle.
Shall interpret the work of the Association to organized religious groups of all faiths
Shall enlist the support of such organized religious groups for membership, fundraising, and the struggle for equality and full civil rights; and
Shall provide resource assistance for religious education and social action activities, associated with the improvement of race relations.
Women in the NAACP (WIN) = Loretta Winters, Melisssa Fox, Cat Paige, and Tiffany Walker subject to the control of the Executive Committee and to such rules and regulations as the Board of Directors say enact. WIN committees shall consist of a Chairperson and/or Co-Chairperson and at least three (3) other members. WIN shall address within the framework of the NAACP, civil rights issues affecting women and children and shall carry out other civil and cultural activities to enhance membership and provide financial support to the Branch.
THE PURPOSE OF WIN 1) to enhance the leadership role of women; 2) to serve as an advocacy vehicle to address the social, economic, political, educational, health and welfare issues affecting women; 3) to advocate for the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual development of children and 4) to support the policies as well as the on-going mission and vision of the NAACP.
Young Adults= The Committee on Young Adult shall consist of Branch members twenty-one (21) – forty (40) years of age. It shall be the function of the Committee to: support all branch activities, stimulate interest through advocacy training and solicit membership of twenty-one (21) – forty (40) years of age
Youth Works Committee = Evangeline Banks Shall consist of the Youth Unit Advisor (s), and Youth Unit President(s) in the same community, and five (5) persons appointed by the Branch President.
The Youth Unit Advisors and the Youth Unit Presidents shall choose the chair of the Committee.
The Youth committee shall l develop and coordinate the programs of the Branches(s) and Youth units. The Branch Committee on Youth Work shall turn the names, addresses and membership dues of youth solicited by the Branch over to the appropriate National Office recognized youth group, if any, in their community. The Youth Work Committee shall monitor the youth membership in the Branch. If there is no local youth unit recognized by the National Office, the Committee shall recommend the Branch apply to the National Office for a Youth Charter and organize the appropriate youth group.
AD HOC COMMITTEES
GRANTS - MELISSA FOX INTERNET/WEBINAR- DR. IRENE MINTZ SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ROUNDTABLE - LORETTA WINTERS IMMIGRATION ISSUES- YOLANDA GARCIA DENTAL FOR KIDS - DR. MEL PIERSON, DDS GOLF - DR. MEL PIERSON SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - TIFFANY WALKER ER COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DR. IORENE MINTZ & DR. MEL; PIERSON