Allegheny East NAACP

12/29/2021

NAACP Mourns the Passing of Harry Reid.

11/26/2021

Freinds,

We’ve accomplished so much this year, most of which would not have happened without the support of our partners and friends.

In January, NAACP demanded that the Biden-Harris Administration appoint a racial equity czar to a cabinet-level position in the White House. With amplification from a coalition of civil rights and labor leaders, including the AFL-CIO, President Biden obliged.

In February, we partnered with Vistaprint and the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation to launch the Power Forward Small Business Grant.

In March, we teamed up with BET and ViacomCBS, once again, to bring you the 52nd NAACP Image Awards.

In April, we collaborated with the NYU Civil Rights Clinic and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to urge cities across the U.S. to repeal their racially discriminatory crime-free housing ordinances.

In May, through the NAACP N-SPIRE program, we offered more than $800,000 in scholarships by partnering with Vans, Dark and Lovely, Smile Direct Club, and many other donors to support Black college students across the country.

In June, we joined forces with the Ad Council to host a timely conversation on men's health.

In July, UPS, The Coca Cola Company, AirBnB and several other organizations proudly sponsored the 112th NAACP National Convention.

In August, alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Dr. Andre Perry, we hosted a briefing to cancel student debt for millions of Americans.

In September, NAACP ACT-SO and Lancome announced the Write Her Future Scholarship fund to empower women by giving them access to literacy, mentoring, and entrepreneurship courses.

In October, we teamed up with entrepreneur Daymond John once again for the second annual Black Entrepreneurs Day and to award the NAACP Powershift Grant.

And this month, we coalesced with the National Urban League, National Action Network, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Fighting for Our Vote Initiative, National Council of Negro Women to publish the first ever Senate Scorecard, grading every U.S. Senator on performance defending voting rights in the 117th U.S. Congress.

We remain grateful to all our partners, sponsors and donors who show their commitment to our shared vision of a sustainable future for Black America.

We are honored, blessed, and ready to do this critical work. Thank you!

Fighting Forward,

Annalise J. Setorie
Director, Partnerships
NAACP

08/05/2021

As the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus continues to rise, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance on face masks.

Greetings,

The CDC now recommends that people, regardless of their vaccination status, wear a face mask in certain indoor situations where there is a risk of “substantial and high transmission” of COVID-19. This includes schools, retail stores, and some businesses.

This comes as New York City becomes the first U.S. city to require proof of vaccination for entry into certain indoor spaces including restaurants, gyms, theaters and more.

While health disparities leave African Americans vulnerable to COVID-19 at higher rates, our research shows that 51% of African Americans say they are fully vaccinated, and 54% continue to wear masks in public and private settings.
While we continue to learn more about the coronavirus and its delta and lambda variants, the NAACP’s COVID. Know More portal has information and resources you need to protect yourself, your family, and your community. Visit the website today, and fight back with facts.

Remember, if one of us is vulnerable, all of us are vulnerable.


Read. Share. Protect. Visit the COVID Know More information hub for additional insights. We're in this, together.

06/20/2021

Hello,

As a father, I understand what motivates many dads across America to fight so hard for progress on civil rights. It’s not just about us; it’s about doing whatever we can to ensure our children can walk a road that’s less stony than the one we walked.

With countless Black fathers taken from their children unjustly, we must take today and everyday to celebrate the fathers and father figures who are showing up, who are present, and there for their loved ones. We appreciate you.

On behalf of the entire NAACP family, I wish all the fathers and father figures a happy Father’s Day.

If you haven’t found a meaningful Father’s Day gift yet, give the gift of the Twenty20 in Black book.


Fighting Forward,

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO
NAACP

06/19/2021

Greetings,

Juneteenth is a day for celebration, community, and reflection.

On this day 156 years ago, word finally reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas that they were no longer property. But slavery didn’t end that day. It continued until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865, abolishing slavery. And racial terror and injustice continued through the Jim Crow era and continues today.

We were present at this week’s signing of the legislation that makes the Juneteenth milestone a federal holiday. We’re happy to see progress in the right direction and we’re reminded that freedom is an ongoing fight.

Happy Juneteenth!

There’s still legislation needed to hold police officers and elected officials accountable. We collectively wait for the fate of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. We still need strong legislation to secure voting rights for everyone. Two bills are before Congress for consideration – the For the People Act of 2021 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. We need action on student loan debt relief and other policies that protect the health and well-being of Black Americans.

So as you celebrate today, will you join us in taking a moment to take action as well?
Sign our petition urging President Biden to take action and cancel student debt to close the wealth gap.

Add your voice to the tens of thousands of Americans demanding an end to qualified immunity and the creation of a federal database of police encounters that will provide transparency and safety for our communities.

Join us in this critical, ongoing fight for civil rights and social justice. Become a member to get active in your community.
Together we can ensure more equity and less discrimination for everyone.


Fighting Forward,

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO
NAACP

05/24/2021

Greetings,

9 minutes and 29 seconds. That’s how long three police officers stood guard as Derek Chauvin suffocated George Floyd to death. 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

Tomorrow, May 25, 2021, we honor the life and legacy of George Floyd one year after his murder. At 9:29 AM ET, NAACP is asking for everyone to take a moment of silence for one minute.

From the very moment we became aware of his killing, NAACP, the Black community, and our allies around the world have used every second possible to demand justice for George Floyd. And while justice may have landed Derek Chauvin behind bars for murdering George Floyd, nothing will ever bring Gianna's father back.

We can honor his life by ensuring no other person dies in the manner that he did. We must demand accountability from law enforcement by ending qualified immunity. A first step to this is to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Sign our petition now, and urge Congress to end qualified immunity.

Fighting Forward,

Derrick Johnson

President & CEO
NAACP

05/18/2021

Freinds,

Some things should never be so Black and white.

Next week will mark one year since George Floyd was murdered by former police officer, Derek Chauvin. While his death sparked worldwide outrage, protests, and much needed discussions about our nation’s systemic inequities, a recent NPR poll suggests that white and Black Americans still have very different views on race and policing.

According to the poll, 61 percent of Black Americans believe that local police treat people of color more harshly than white people. Only a quarter of white Americans agree with that statement.

And although more than 60 percent of Black Americans say they have been discriminated against or treated unfairly because of their race, just 15 percent of white Americans can say the same.

It goes to show just how different life can be in this country depending on the color of your skin. However, one thing that most Americans agreed upon, according to the poll, is that race relations for future generations will be better than they are now.

If we do collectively hope for a better future, then we have work to do N. Andrew.

A first step is for congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill would ban chokeholds which are used too often on Black people. It would also bring an end to qualified immunity, which protects law enforcement from lawsuits.

A better tomorrow begins with the decisions we make today. We can’t leave the fate of Black America up to chance any more -- it’s time to end qualified immunity and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.




Fighting Forward,

Derrick Johnson

President & CEO
NAACP

05/16/2021

112TH NAACP VIRTUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION

As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and a criminal justice system in need of reform, this year's convention sets the tone on how we move forward.

ALWAYS FIGHTING FORWARD

Each year members briefly step away from the front lines of the fight for civil rights to reflect, learn from each other, and plot the path forward.

Join forums and workshops with leading policymakers, activists, and organizers to carve out your lane in the important work we have to do under a new presidential administration, growing demands for criminal justice reform, and the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Network with other members in your region. Engage with leadership. Brainstorm solutions to the Black community's most pressing issues.

The 112th NAACP National Convention will be hosted virtually featuring social activists, industry leaders, and public servants discussing the actions and solutions necessary to improve, protect, and change our communities.

Go to the national site to register.

So glad to be a part of this great organization. Setting an example for my kids. Being a part of the change I want to see in the world. Starting in my own community!

01/23/2021

Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, issued a statement on the incoming Biden/Harris administration's efforts to promote racial justice.

01/18/2021

Friend,

From the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged our society to come together and fight against the evils of racism, hate and bigotry that divide us.

His words inspired us. But it was his actions that led us forward.

And just as Dr. King led in his time, it is up to those of us committed to dismantling racism, pushing for change, and advocating for justice to take action and lead in our time.

It’s in that spirit – and prompted by the urgency of this moment – that the NAACP has stepped up to push foundations, corporations and brands to not just declare that Black lives matter but to boldly confront injustices. And the results have been dramatic and impactful:
• Organizations such as Nasdaq are putting in place measures to ensure board diversity for companies listed on the stock exchange.

• Philanthropists such as MacKenzie (Bezos) Scott have contributed millions to support the critically important role of HBCUs.

• And foundations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have invested in new approaches to advancing health equity.
The support of new partners, along with supporters like you, have helped the NAACP continue the critical work we do day-in and day-out in communities across the country. We have assisted Black businesses, uplifted Black entrepreneurs looking to grow or scale, provided housing grants to families at risk of foreclosure during the coronavirus pandemic, and challenged racist policies and practices through the courts.

Together, we have made unquestionably incredible progress. But it’s just as undeniable that much work remains to be done before we can say that Dr. King’s dream has been fully realized.

So as we commemorate Dr. King, I encourage you to honor his legacy of action by taking action yourself and become a member of the NAACP or gift a membership to a friend or family member to help expand our reach in the fight to make America more just.

I’m proud and honored to know you are standing with us today and every day. And I look forward to continuing our bold, crucial work together in the weeks and months ahead.

Thanks for all you do,

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO
NAACP