EDWARDSVILLE — “Charting a Course for Change: Representation Matters” was the theme of the 56th annual NAACP Freedom Fund Gala Sunday via Zoom, whereas last year, the organization had to cancel its yearly gala due to the pandemic.
Unfortunately, multiple technical glitches hampered the virtual event. The biggest one occurred when the area’s two new mayors, Art Risavy, of Edwardsville, and Bob Marcus, of Glen Carbon, were scheduled to deliver their individual greetings. For some technical reason, Risavy was neither seen nor heard, while Marcus delivered his speech without incident.
Marcus, a NAACP member, introduced himself, describing where he works.
“One of your themes this year is ‘Charting a Course for Change: Representation Matters,’” Marcus noted. “One of my very first actions as mayor this year was to appoint NAACP member Nekisha Omatola as a trustee to the village board. She is the only woman board member and the second African American member, along with Victor Smith.
“I have known Nekisha for many years, and her knowledge, background and experience will be an asset to the board.”
Marcus spoke about focusing on diversity issues facing the village of Glen Carbon. He said he assigned Omotola to the committees of finance and of public safety, and he mentioned as one of his priorities, the continued practice of non-discriminatory law enforcement.
Minister Traci Daniels recognized several new Silver Life memberships Sunday:
• Judge Veronica Armouti
• Margie Huddleston
• Jennifer Jumper
• Judge Ryan Jumper
• Renee Perry
• Martha Spillers
• Donna Wilkerson
Next, the NAACP recognized its nine college scholarship recipients, who each received $1,000:
• Canon Adams - he will attend Murray State University this fall, where he will study occupational safety and health
• Olivia Gray - she will attend the University of Missouri - Kansas City this fall to study business and entrepreneurship
• Jadynn Levels - she will attend West Virginia University, where she will study political science
• Abby Liu - she will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this fall to major in chemical engineering
• Olivia Melosci - she will attend Illinois State University in the fall to major in mathematics
• Caleb Valentine - he will attend SIUE this fall to major in finance
Two additional students received the Ray and Mary Jones Grant - Jalil Roundtree, who will go to Clark Atlanta University in the fall, majoring in business and marketing, and Tyra King.
He noted that Glen Carbon Police Chief Todd Link voluntarily submitted his department to an outside independent audit in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota last May. The police department received exceptional results, but one area of improvement was noted — to better diversify the village’s police force, he said.
“This review and analysis of village and police policies is a continuing process, not a single event,” Marcus said.
The next scheduled step in this process is Tuesday during the village board meeting.
“Our department will give a presentation on its use-of-force policy,” Marcus said. “It is my desire to continue to have our board and village staff focus on these issues, so we can raise awareness in our community, and to continue to have Glen Carbon be a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
Next, branch NAACP President Walter Williams gave out two awards. Each year, the NAACP Edwardsville branch recognizes outstanding contributions made by an organization, business or individual, in the civil rights or social justice arena.
This year, the Collinsville School District (CSD) received the NAACP’s Diversity and Inclusion Award.
“The district is being lauded for is equity and diversity initiatives,” Williams said. “These initiatives improve the quality of professional and academic life for minorities in the district.”
The NAACP recognized the district’s drive to hire more teachers who resemble its diverse student body, particularly Hispanic students. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Hispanics made up 71% of the population of Fairmont City, a village a in St. Clair and Madison counties within the district.
“Their initiatives centered around how to recruit a more diverse set of educators, to looking at ways they could improve their curriculum and programs, as well as their professional development to improve cultural awareness,” Williams said. “The staff has also been recognized for community excellence.”
Williams introduced CSD Superintendent Brad Skertich. Skertich and counseling department co-chair TaRael Kee attempted to show a video illustrating what the district has achieved, and where it plans to go next, but another technical issue prevented the video from being shown in its entirety.
The second award went to Kathryn Carter, who received the Business of the Year Award. She began a social media show last May titled “Friday Night Live,” a positive platform designed to uplift, entertain and enlighten viewers.
“The pandemic has been a scary time for the world, and many people have suffered a lot of losses,” Carter said. “At the beginning, the atmosphere was depressive, it was fearful of the unknown. I remember asking myself, ‘What could I do to help? What could I do to encourage the people?y,’ and this is how this show was birthed.”
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Earleen Patterson, director of Student Opportunities for Academic Results, introduced keynote speaker Jessica Harris, vice chancellor for SIUE’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, nine years after joining as history department faculty member.
Harris’ remarks referenced the event’s theme as she quoted Martin Luther King Jr., touching on events in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, and the Mexico City Summer Olympics in 1968, among other milestone events.
“I felt that it was really important to offer words today that would not only speak to the fierce urgency of now, but words that would also hearken back to history,” Harris said, “to remind us of where we have come, yet challenge us to be ever more vigilant in our efforts to upbuild a society free from racial violence, discrimination and injustice.”
William delivered his closing remarks with two leading question: What does justice look like? Who tells the story of African Americans?
He mentioned the centennial of the Greenwood Massacre in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Floyd case’s verdict.
Williams noted that the NAACP submitted 10 applications last week for African American military members to be displayed on the city’s annual Veterans Day banners in November.
Minister Traci Daniels delivered the opening remarks and introduced Mistress of Ceremonies Charlene Blair, also a minister, of Mount Joy Missionary Baptist Church, Edwardsville, who is an Edwardsville NAACP executive board member. Reverend Christopher Jackson of the Mount Hebron Fellowship Church of Church of God in Christ delivered the invocation, and LaToya Wilson performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
To close the program, Reverand David Roderick, of Edwardsville’s Immanuel United Methodist Church, delivered the benediction.
Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735
"course" - Google News
June 07, 2021 at 07:51AM
https://ift.tt/2T5bdo4
Edwardsville’s NAACP charts course for change during Sunday gala - The Edwardsville Intelligencer
"course" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35q9ps5
https://ift.tt/35rCFi1
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Edwardsville’s NAACP charts course for change during Sunday gala - The Edwardsville Intelligencer"
Post a Comment