NAACP 100th Convention

Our 2nd Vice- President Desha Elliott was able to attend the convention. The purpose of the annual convention of the Association is to establish policies and programs of action for the ensuing year. These policies and programs are voted on by officers from the many units. No action should be taken if it hasn't been favorably voted on. The resolutions needed to be sent to the National Office by May 1st, annually and then at the convention's legislative sessions are they discussed and reviewed.

Even though Region 3 (the organization is split into 7 regions nationally) as a whole didn't send in many resolutions here are a few that I found interesting and may hit close to home:

• Jefferson City branch made us aware of the fact that the United States of America shamefully leads the world in the number of children (2400) that are imprisoned for life without possibility if parole for crimes committed as juveniles. Nationwide Black youth receive life without parole ten times more often than White youth, Hispanic youth receiving that sentence multiple more times than whites, with nearly 60% of those juvenile receiving life without parole neither having adult criminal records nor juvenile adjudication; and where one quarter of the youth receiving life without parole were convicted in crimes where another participant committed the felonious assault. As many as forty two states sentence minors to life without parole. It is recognized that adolescent brain development isn't complete for comprehensive reasoning, consequence consideration and mature impulse control and children have an extraordinary capacity of rehabilitation. The branch further reasons that if we as a society see that juveniles and adults are different, that they lack judgement and are able to change- how can you justify locking up youth forever? They asked that all units and members educate themselves on their states juvenile penal code and call upon their legislatures to abolish juvenile life without parole sentences for crimes.
• Cincinnati Branch is reminding us of the elevating rate of homicides, especially how they affect the black communities. Nationwide community groups have came up with a reward system in cooperation with law enforcement and media to provide useful information. Reward programs protect cooperating individuals who want a safe community, but who do not want to be labeled as informants or snitches. They want the NAACP to take a collective stand against violent crime by encouraging more communities to create reward programs, in attempt to bring justice to the families who have lost their loved ones to violence all across the nation.
• Baltimore City Branch wants the NAACP to declare a state of emergency where it relates to childhood obesity
• California State Conference makes us aware that 43% of US employers conduct credit checks on job applicants and that their is no correlation between credit history and job performance. They want the NAACP to oppose the use of credit reports because that is a form of economic discrimination and that the Association will partner with allied organizations to conduct educational forums as well as work through local, State, and Federal legislative processes to make sure that such practices are prohibited.

All these resolutions and many more are ones that we should really take the time to research and take action on.